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docs: reframe docstring guidance as public API reference, not prompts #1606

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docs: reframe docstring guidance as public API reference, not prompts #1606

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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion AGENTS.md
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Expand Up @@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ mkdir -p .bob && ln -s ../.agents/skills .bob/skills

## 5. Coding Standards
- **Types required** on all core functions
- **Docstrings are prompts** — be specific, the LLM reads them
- **Docstrings are published in the public API reference** — be specific and accurate.
- **Google-style docstrings** — `Args:` on the **class docstring only**; `__init__` gets a single summary sentence. Add `Attributes:` only when a stored value differs in type/behaviour from its constructor input (type transforms, computed values, class constants). See CONTRIBUTING.md for a full example. **No RST directives inside docstrings** — never use `Example::`, `.. deprecated::`, `:param:`, `:type:`, or other RST markup inside a docstring; Google-style sections (`Example:`, `Raises:`, etc.) use plain Markdown. **Code examples use triple-backtick fences** (` ```python `) — not `>>>` doctest prompts (output is not verified). **Inline code uses single backticks** (`` `name` ``) — never double backticks (`` ``name`` ``); Mellea uses Markdown-style docstrings where double backticks are RST syntax and render incorrectly. See CONTRIBUTING.md for the full rationale and examples.
- **Ruff** for linting/formatting
- Use `...` in `@generative` function bodies
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion CONTRIBUTING.md
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Expand Up @@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ def process_text(text: str, max_length: int = 100) -> str:

### Docstrings

**Docstrings are prompts** - the LLM reads them, so be specific.
**Docstrings are published in the public API reference** — be specific.

Use **[Google-style docstrings](https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html#381-docstrings)**:

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