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writingjavadocchecks.html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--
| Generated by Apache Maven Doxia Site Renderer 2.0.0 from src/site/xdoc/writingjavadocchecks.xml.vm at 2025-04-02
| Rendered using Apache Maven Fluido Skin 2.0.1
-->
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<meta name="generator" content="Apache Maven Doxia Site Renderer 2.0.0" />
<title>Writing Javadoc Checks – checkstyle</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="./css/apache-maven-fluido-2.0.1.min.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="./css/site.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="./css/print.css" media="print" />
<script src="./js/apache-maven-fluido-2.0.1.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="./js/checkstyle.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="./js/anchors.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="./js/google-analytics.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="./js/copy-clipboard.js"></script>
<link rel="icon" href="./images/favicon.png" type="image/x-icon" />
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="./images/favicon.ico" type="image/ico" />
</head>
<body>
<div class="container-fluid container-fluid-top">
<header>
<div id="banner">
<div class="pull-left"><div id="bannerLeft"><h1><a href="./"><img class="class java.lang.Object" src="images/header-checkstyle-logo.png" alt="Checkstyle" /></a></h1></div></div>
<div class="pull-right"><div id="bannerRight"><h1><img class="class java.lang.Object" src="images/header-right-ruller.png" alt="Checkstyle" /></h1></div></div>
<div class="clear"><hr/></div>
</div>
<div id="breadcrumbs">
<ul class="breadcrumb">
<li id="publishDate" class="pull-right"><span class="divider">|</span> Last Published: 2025-04-02</li>
<li id="projectVersion" class="pull-right"><span class="divider">|</span>Version: 10.23.0</li>
<li class="pull-right"><a>toTop</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</header>
<div class="row-fluid">
<header id="leftColumn" class="span2">
<nav class="well sidebar-nav">
<ul class="nav nav-list">
<li class="nav-header">About</li>
<li><a href="index.html">Checkstyle</a></li>
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<li><a href="consulting.html">Consulting</a></li>
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<ul class="nav nav-list">
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<ul class="nav nav-list">
<li><a href="anttask.html">Ant Task</a></li>
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</ul></li>
<li><a href="checks.html"><span class="icon-chevron-down"></span>Checks</a>
<ul class="nav nav-list">
<li><a href="checks/annotation/index.html"><span class="icon-chevron-right"></span>Annotations</a></li>
<li><a href="checks/blocks/index.html"><span class="icon-chevron-right"></span>Block Checks</a></li>
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<li class="active"><a>Writing Javadoc Checks</a></li>
<li><a href="writingfilters.html">Writing Filters</a></li>
<li><a href="writingfilefilters.html">Writing File Filters</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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</header>
<main id="bodyColumn" class="span10">
<section><a id="Content"></a>
<h1>Content</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#Content">Content</a></li>
<li><a href="#What_is_Javadoc_comment">What is Javadoc comment</a></li>
<li><a href="#Limitations">Limitations</a></li>
<li><a href="#Tight-HTML_rules">Tight-HTML rules</a></li>
<li><a href="#How_to_create_Javadoc_Check">How to create Javadoc Check</a></li>
<li><a href="#Difference_between_Java_Grammar_and_Javadoc_comments_Grammar">Difference between Java Grammar and Javadoc comments Grammar</a></li>
<li><a href="#Tool_to_print_Javadoc_tree_structure">Tool to print Javadoc tree structure</a></li>
<li><a href="#Access_Java_AST_from_Javadoc_Check">Access Java AST from Javadoc Check</a></li>
<li><a href="#HTML_Code_In_Javadoc_Comments">HTML Code In Javadoc Comments</a></li>
<li><a href="#Checkstyle_SDK_GUI">Checkstyle SDK GUI</a></li>
<li><a href="#Customize_token_types_in_Javadoc_Checks">Customize token types in Javadoc Checks</a></li>
<li><a href="#Integrating_new_Javadoc_Check">Integrating new Javadoc Check</a></li>
<li><a href="#Declare_check.27s_external_resource_locations">Declare check's external resource locations</a></li>
<li><a href="#Examples_of_Javadoc_Checks">Examples of Javadoc Checks</a></li>
<li><a href="#Javadoc_parser_behavior_for_current_HTML_version_and_new_HTML_version">Javadoc parser behavior for current HTML version and new HTML version</a></li></ul>
</section>
<section><a id="What_is_Javadoc_comment"></a>
<h1>What is Javadoc comment</h1>
<p>
Javadoc comment is a multiline comment <code>/* */</code> that starts with the <b>*</b>
character and placed above the class definition, interface definition, enum definition,
method definition or field definition.
If an annotation precedes any of the definitions listed above, then the javadoc comment
should be placed before the annotation.
If several multiline comments with javadoc identifiers are placed sequentially, only
the one closest to the definition, right above it, with the javadoc identifier will be used.
</p>
<p>
Javadoc comments should contain: a short summary (the first sentence), an optional
documentation section, an optional tag section. The first sentence has a special meaning
and should be clear, punchy, short, and is ended by a period symbol.
Immediately after the first sentence, the main description could begin,
which may be followed by the tag section. The tag section starts with the first block tag,
which is defined by the first <code>@</code> character that begins a line
(ignoring leading asterisks, white space, and leading separator <code>/**</code>).
</p>
<p>For example, here is java file:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
/**
* My <b>class</b>.
*
* @see Annotation
*/
public class MyClass {
/** Not a javadoc (ignored). */
/**
* Doubles the value.
* The long and detailed explanation what the method does.
*
* @param value for doubling.
* @return double value.
*/
/*
Multiline comment (ignored).
*/
@Annotation
/** Extra javadoc (ignored). */
// Single line comment (ignored).
public int method(int value) {
/** Inner javadoc (ignored). */
return value * 2;
}
}
</code></pre></div>
<p>Javadoc content for the MyClass will be:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
My <b>class</b>.
@see Annotation
</code></pre></div>
<p>Javadoc content for the MyClass.method will be:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
Doubles the value.
The long and detailed explanation what the method does.
@param value for doubling.
@return double value.
</code></pre></div>
<p>
Attention that java comment starts with <code>/*</code>, following with Identifier of
comment type. Javadoc Identifier is <code>*</code>. All symbols after Javadoc
Identifier till <code>*/</code> are part of javadoc comment.
</p>
<p>Please note that javadoc-like (multiline comment with javadoc identifier) comment inside
a method is not a javadoc comment and skipped by Sun/Oracle javadoc tool and by our javadoc
comment matcher, but such comment will be in AST.
</p>
<p>
You can find different types of documentation generation tools similar to javadoc on the
Internet. Such tools rely on specific Identifier: "!", "#", "$".
Comments look like <code>"/*! some comment */"</code> , <code>"/*# some comment */"</code> ,
<code>"/*$ some comment */"</code>. Such multiline comments are not a javadoc.
</p>
</section>
<section><a id="Limitations"></a>
<h1>Limitations</h1>
<p>
Since Oracle itself does not provide a comprehensive language specification for Javadocs,
we have interpreted the existing behavior of the Javadoc tool and accepted standards
to form our Javadoc grammar and Abstract Syntax Tree (AST). For this reason, we must
impose the following limitations on Javadoc parsing and checks.
</p>
<p>
The comment should be written in <a href="#Tight-HTML_rules">Tight-HTML</a>
to build ASTs that most Checks expect.
</p>
<p>
For more details about parsing of HTML into AST read
<a href="#HTML_Code_In_Javadoc_Comments">HTML Code In Javadoc Comments</a>
and <a href="#Javadoc_parser_behavior_for_current_HTML_version_and_new_HTML_version">
Javadoc parser behavior
</a> section.
</p>
</section>
<section><a id="Tight-HTML_rules"></a>
<h1>Tight-HTML rules</h1>
<p>
Every HTML tag should have matching end HTML tag or it is a
<a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/html/syntax.html#void-elements" class="externalLink">void element</a>.
</p>
<p>
The only exceptions are HTML 4 tags whose end tag is optional (omittable) by
HTML specification (example is
<a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/html5/tabular-data.html#the-tr-element" class="externalLink">TR</a>), so,
Checkstyle won't show an error about missing end tags, however,
it leads to broken Tight-HTML structure and as a result leads to non-nested content
of the HTML tags in the Abstract Syntax Tree of the Javadoc comment.
<br />
In other words, if HTML tags are not closed in Javadoc, our parser cannot determine the
content of these tags, so structure of the parse tree will not be nested like it is while
using <a href="#Tight-HTML_rules">Tight-HTML</a>.
</p>
<p>
Other rules:
</p>
<ul>
<li>Document Structure elements (DOCTYPE, <html>, <body>, etc) are
not mandatory.</li>
<li>Elements must always be closed, except HTML4 elements whose end tag is optional
(omittable) and HTML4
<a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/html/syntax.html#void-elements" class="externalLink">void elements</a>.
See <a href="#HTML_Code_In_Javadoc_Comments">HTML Code In Javadoc Comments</a>
section
</li>
<li>HTML elements can be either in lowercase or in uppercase</li>
<li>Attribute names can be either in lowercase or in uppercase</li>
<li>Attribute values can be either quoted or not be quoted</li>
</ul>
</section>
<section><a id="How_to_create_Javadoc_Check"></a>
<h1>How to create Javadoc Check</h1>
<p>
Writing Javadoc Checks is similar to writing Java Checks, however you should extend
AbstractJavadocCheck<link> and use JavadoctokenTypes<link>.
</p>
<p>
To start implementing new Check create a new class and extend <a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/checks/javadoc/AbstractJavadocCheck.html">
AbstractJavadocCheck</a>.
It has two abstract methods you should implement:
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/checks/javadoc/AbstractJavadocCheck.html#getDefaultJavadocTokens--">
getDefaultJavadocTokens()</a> - return int array of
javadoc token types your Check is going to process.
The array should contain int constants from
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/JavadocTokenTypes.html">
JavadocTokenTypes</a> class. (There is also
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/TokenTypes.html">
TokenTypes</a> class in Checkstyle. Make sure you use
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/JavadocTokenTypes.html">
JavadocTokenTypes</a> class in your Check, because the
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/TokenTypes.html">
TokenTypes</a> is used to describe standard Java
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/DetailAST.html">
DetailAST</a> token type.)
</li>
<li>
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/checks/javadoc/AbstractJavadocCheck.html#visitJavadocToken-com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.api.DetailNode-">
visitJavadocToken(DetailNode)</a> - it's a place you should put tree nodes processing.
The argument is Javadoc tree node of type you described before in
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/checks/javadoc/AbstractJavadocCheck.html#getDefaultJavadocTokens--">
getDefaultJavadocTokens()</a> method.
</li>
</ul>
</section>
<section><a id="Difference_between_Java_Grammar_and_Javadoc_comments_Grammar"></a>
<h1>Difference between Java Grammar and Javadoc comments Grammar</h1>
<p>
Our Java parser parses all multiline comments (C-style comments and Javadoc comments)
as block comments, whether they are Javadocs or not. Our Javadoc parser then transforms
these block comment ASTs into our Javadoc AST.
</p>
<p>
The difference is that Java grammar uses ANTLR v2, while Javadoc grammar uses ANTLR v4.
Because of that, these two grammars and their trees are not compatible.
Java AST consists of
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/DetailAST.html">DetailAST</a>
objects, while Javadoc AST consists of
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/DetailNode.html">DetailNode</a>
objects.
</p>
<p>
Our Java grammar ignores whitespace in most cases, since Java itself does not care about
whitespace; however, whitespace is critical in Javadocs. For this reason, our Javadoc AST
retains most whitespace that is present in the Javadoc.
(<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/JavadocTokenTypes.html#WS">WS</a>,
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/JavadocTokenTypes.html#NEWLINE">
NEWLINE</a>).
</p>
</section>
<section><a id="Tool_to_print_Javadoc_tree_structure"></a>
<h1>Tool to print Javadoc tree structure</h1>
<p>
Checkstyle can print a combined Java and Javadoc Abstract Syntax Tree. You need to run the
checkstyle jar file with the <b>-J</b> argument, providing a java file.
</p>
<p>For example, here is MyClass.java file:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
/**
* My <b>class</b>.
* @see AbstractClass
*/
public class MyClass {
}
</code></pre></div>
<p>Command:</p>
<div class="wrap-content">
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
java -jar checkstyle-X.XX-all.jar -J MyClass.java
</code></pre></div>
</div>
<p>Output:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
CLASS_DEF -> CLASS_DEF [5:0]
|--MODIFIERS -> MODIFIERS [5:0]
| |--BLOCK_COMMENT_BEGIN -> /* [1:0]
| | |--COMMENT_CONTENT -> *\n * My <b>class</b>.\n * @see AbstractClass\n [1:2]
| | | `--JAVADOC -> JAVADOC [1:3]
| | | |--NEWLINE -> \n [1:3]
| | | |--LEADING_ASTERISK -> * [2:0]
| | | |--TEXT -> My [2:2]
| | | |--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [2:6]
| | | | `--HTML_TAG -> HTML_TAG [2:6]
| | | | |--HTML_ELEMENT_START -> HTML_ELEMENT_START [2:6]
| | | | | |--START -> < [2:6]
| | | | | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> b [2:7]
| | | | | `--END -> > [2:8]
| | | | |--TEXT -> class [2:9]
| | | | `--HTML_ELEMENT_END -> HTML_ELEMENT_END [2:14]
| | | | |--START -> < [2:14]
| | | | |--SLASH -> / [2:15]
| | | | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> b [2:16]
| | | | `--END -> > [2:17]
| | | |--TEXT -> . [2:18]
| | | |--NEWLINE -> \n [2:19]
| | | |--LEADING_ASTERISK -> * [3:0]
| | | |--WS -> [3:2]
| | | |--JAVADOC_TAG -> JAVADOC_TAG [3:3]
| | | | |--SEE_LITERAL -> @see [3:3]
| | | | |--WS -> [3:7]
| | | | |--REFERENCE -> REFERENCE [3:8]
| | | | | `--CLASS -> AbstractClass [3:8]
| | | | |--NEWLINE -> \n [3:21]
| | | | `--WS -> [4:0]
| | | `--EOF -> <EOF> [4:1]
| | `--BLOCK_COMMENT_END -> */ [4:1]
| `--LITERAL_PUBLIC -> public [5:0]
|--LITERAL_CLASS -> class [5:7]
|--IDENT -> MyClass [5:13]
`--OBJBLOCK -> OBJBLOCK [5:21]
|--LCURLY -> { [5:21]
`--RCURLY -> } [7:0]
</code></pre></div>
<p>
In most cases while developing Javadoc Checks, you need to only parse the tree of the exact
Javadoc comment. To do that just copy Javadoc comment to a separate file and remove
<b>/**</b> at the beginning and <b>*/</b> at the end. After that, run checkstyle with
<b>-j</b> argument.
</p>
<p>MyJavadocComment.javadoc file:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
* My <b>class</b>.
* @see AbstractClass
</code></pre></div>
<p>Command:</p>
<div class="wrap-content">
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
java -jar checkstyle-X.XX-all.jar \
    -j MyJavadocComment.javadoc
</code></pre></div>
</div>
<p>Output:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
JAVADOC -> JAVADOC [0:0]
|--LEADING_ASTERISK -> * [0:0]
|--TEXT -> My [0:2]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [0:6]
| `--HTML_TAG -> HTML_TAG [0:6]
| |--HTML_ELEMENT_START -> HTML_ELEMENT_START [0:6]
| | |--START -> < [0:6]
| | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> b [0:7]
| | `--END -> > [0:8]
| |--TEXT -> class [0:9]
| `--HTML_ELEMENT_END -> HTML_ELEMENT_END [0:14]
| |--START -> < [0:14]
| |--SLASH -> / [0:15]
| |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> b [0:16]
| `--END -> > [0:17]
|--TEXT -> . [0:18]
|--NEWLINE -> \n [0:19]
|--LEADING_ASTERISK -> * [1:0]
|--WS -> [1:2]
|--JAVADOC_TAG -> JAVADOC_TAG [1:3]
| |--SEE_LITERAL -> @see [1:3]
| |--WS -> [1:7]
| `--REFERENCE -> REFERENCE [1:8]
| `--CLASS -> AbstractClass [1:8]
`--EOF -> <EOF> [1:21]
</code></pre></div>
</section>
<section><a id="Access_Java_AST_from_Javadoc_Check"></a>
<h1>Access Java AST from Javadoc Check</h1>
<p>
As you already know the Javadoc AST is a result of parsing a block comment.
There is a method to get the original block comment from a Javadoc Check.
You may need this block comment to check its position in the
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/DetailAST.html">DetailAST</a> tree.
</p>
<p>
For example, to write a JavadocCheck that verifies @param tags in the Javadoc comment of
a method definition, you also need all of the method's parameter names. To get a method
definition AST you should access the
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/DetailAST.html">DetailAST</a> tree
from a javadoc Check. For this purpose use the
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/checks/javadoc/AbstractJavadocCheck.html#getBlockCommentAst--">
getBlockCommentAst()</a>
method that returns a
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/DetailAST.html">DetailAST</a> node.
</p>
<p>
Example:
</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
class MyCheck extends AbstractJavadocCheck {
@Override
public int[] getDefaultJavadocTokens() {
return new int[]{JavadocTokenTypes.PARAMETER_NAME};
}
@Override
public void visitJavadocToken(DetailNode paramNameNode) {
String javadocParamName = paramNameNode.getText();
DetailAST blockCommentAst = getBlockCommentAst();
if (BlockCommentPosition.isOnMethod(blockCommentAst)) {
DetailAST methodDef = blockCommentAst.getParent();
DetailAST methodParam = findMethodParameter(methodDef);
String methodParamName = methodParam.getText();
if (!javadocParamName.equals(methodParamName)) {
log(methodParam, "params.dont.match");
}
}
}
}
</code></pre></div>
</section>
<section><a id="HTML_Code_In_Javadoc_Comments"></a>
<h1>HTML Code In Javadoc Comments</h1>
<p>
Checkstyle supports HTML4 tags in Javadoc comments:
<a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/html4/index/elements.html" class="externalLink">
all HTML4 elements
</a>.
</p>
<p>
HTML4 is designed to have a list of elements whose end tag is optional(omittable) and a
list of <a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/html/syntax.html#void-elements" class="externalLink">void elements</a>
(also known as <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_elements.asp" class="externalLink">empty html
tags</a>, for example <a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/text.html#edef-BR" class="externalLink">BR
tag</a>).
</p>
<p>
HTML4 elements whose end tag is optional (omittable): <P>, <LI>, <TR>,
<TD>, <TH>, <BODY>, <COLGROUP>, <DD>, <DT>,
<HEAD>, <HTML>, <OPTION>, <TBODY>, <THEAD>, <TFOOT>.
</p>
<p>
Void HTML4 elements: <AREA>, <BASE>, <BASEFONT>, <BR>, <COL>,
<FRAME>, <HR>, <IMG>, <INPUT>, <ISINDEX>, <LINK>,
<META>, <PARAM>.
</p>
<p>
Checkstyle does not support HTML5 tags with optional end tags. See
<a href="https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/issues/3332" class="externalLink">issue</a> for details.
</p>
<p>
If the parser consumes an unknown tag (for example HTML5 tag)
it doesn't fail, but parses this tag as a
<a href="apidocs/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/JavadocTokenTypes.html#HTML_TAG">
HTML_TAG</a>
Javadoc token type.
Always follow <a href="#Tight-HTML_rules">Tight-HTML rules</a> to make the
Checkstyle javadoc parser create nested ASTs, even though tags are unknown.
<div class="wrapper"></p>
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
<audio><source src="horse.ogg" type="audio/ogg"/></audio>
</code></pre></div>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
JAVADOC -> JAVADOC [0:0]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [0:0]
| `--HTML_TAG -> HTML_TAG [0:0]
| |--HTML_ELEMENT_START -> HTML_ELEMENT_START [0:0]
| | |--START -> < [0:0]
| | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> audio [0:1]
| | `--END -> > [0:6]
| |--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [0:7]
| | `--SINGLETON_ELEMENT -> SINGLETON_ELEMENT [0:7]
| | `--EMPTY_TAG -> EMPTY_TAG [0:7]
| | |--START -> < [0:7]
| | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> source [0:8]
| | |--WS -> [0:14]
| | |--ATTRIBUTE -> ATTRIBUTE [0:15]
| | | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> src [0:15]
| | | |--EQUALS -> = [0:18]
| | | `--ATTR_VALUE -> "horse.ogg" [0:19]
| | |--WS -> [0:31]
| | |--ATTRIBUTE -> ATTRIBUTE [0:32]
| | | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> type [0:32]
| | | |--EQUALS -> = [0:36]
| | | `--ATTR_VALUE -> "audio/ogg" [0:37]
| | `--SLASH_END -> /> [0:49]
| `--HTML_ELEMENT_END -> HTML_ELEMENT_END [0:51]
| |--START -> < [0:51]
| |--SLASH -> / [0:52]
| |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> audio [0:53]
| `--END -> > [0:58]
`--EOF -> <EOF> [0:59]
</code></pre></div>
<p>
This is an example of parsing an unknown tag that doesn't have a matching end tag (for
example, HTML5 tag <audio>): <br />
Input:
<div class="wrapper"></p>
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
<audio>test
</code></pre></div>
Output:
<div class="wrap-content">
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-text">
[ERROR:0] Javadoc comment at column 1 has parse error. Missed HTML close tag 'audio'.
Sometimes it means that close tag missed for one of previous tags.
</code></pre></div>
</div>
<p>
As you see, the Javadoc parser prints an error and doesn't build the AST if an unknown
HTML tag doesn't have a matching end tag. If that's the case, please create an issue for
Checkstyle to consider adding support for this tag.
</p>
<p>
There are also HTML tags that are marked as "Not supported in HTML5"
(<a href="https://www.w3schools.com/tags/default.asp" class="externalLink">HTML Element Reference</a>).
Checkstyle Javadoc parser can parse those tags too if they are written in
<a href="#Tight-HTML_rules">Tight-HTML</a>.
<br />
Example:
<br />
Input:
<div class="wrapper"></p>
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
<acronym title="as soon as possible">ASAP</acronym>
</code></pre></div>
<br />
Output:
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
JAVADOC -> JAVADOC [0:0]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [0:0]
| `--HTML_TAG -> HTML_TAG [0:0]
| |--HTML_ELEMENT_START -> HTML_ELEMENT_START [0:0]
| | |--START -> < [0:0]
| | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> acronym [0:1]
| | |--WS -> [0:8]
| | |--ATTRIBUTE -> ATTRIBUTE [0:9]
| | | |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> title [0:9]
| | | |--EQUALS -> = [0:14]
| | | `--ATTR_VALUE -> "as soon as possible" [0:15]
| | `--END -> > [0:37]
| |--TEXT -> ASAP [0:38]
| `--HTML_ELEMENT_END -> HTML_ELEMENT_END [0:42]
| |--START -> < [0:42]
| |--SLASH -> / [0:43]
| |--HTML_TAG_NAME -> acronym [0:44]
| `--END -> > [0:51]
`--EOF -> <EOF> [0:52]
</code></pre></div>
<p>More examples:</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<table class="table table-striped" style="table-layout: fixed;">
<tr class="a">
<td>
1) Unclosed paragraph HTML tag. As you see in the tree, the content of the paragraph
tag is not nested within this tag.
That is because HTML tags are not closed by pair tags </p>, and Checkstyle
requires <a href="#Tight-HTML_rules">Tight-HTML</a> code to predictably parse
Javadoc comments.
</td>
<td>
2) Here is a correct example with open and closed HTML tags.
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="b">
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
<p> First
<p> Second
</code></pre></div>
</td>
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
<p> First </p>
<p> Second </p>
</code></pre></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="a">
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
JAVADOC -> JAVADOC [0:0]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [0:0]
| `--P_TAG_START -> P_TAG_START [0:0]
| |--START -> < [0:0]
| |--P_HTML_TAG_NAME -> p [0:1]
| `--END -> > [0:2]
|--TEXT -> First [0:3]
|--NEWLINE -> \n [0:9]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [1:0]
| `--P_TAG_START -> P_TAG_START [1:0]
| |--START -> < [1:0]
| |--P_HTML_TAG_NAME -> p [1:1]
| `--END -> > [1:2]
|--TEXT -> Second [1:3]
`--EOF -> <EOF> [1:10]
</code></pre></div>
</td>
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-java">
JAVADOC -> JAVADOC [0:0]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [0:0]
| `--PARAGRAPH -> PARAGRAPH [0:0]
| |--P_TAG_START -> P_TAG_START [0:0]
| | |--START -> < [0:0]
| | |--P_HTML_TAG_NAME -> p [0:1]
| | `--END -> > [0:2]
| |--TEXT -> First [0:3]
| `--P_TAG_END -> P_TAG_END [0:10]
| |--START -> < [0:10]
| |--SLASH -> / [0:11]
| |--P_HTML_TAG_NAME -> p [0:12]
| `--END -> > [0:13]
|--NEWLINE -> \n [0:14]
|--HTML_ELEMENT -> HTML_ELEMENT [1:0]
| `--PARAGRAPH -> PARAGRAPH [1:0]
| |--P_TAG_START -> P_TAG_START [1:0]
| | |--START -> < [1:0]
| | |--P_HTML_TAG_NAME -> p [1:1]
| | `--END -> > [1:2]
| |--TEXT -> Second [1:3]
| `--P_TAG_END -> P_TAG_END [1:11]
| |--START -> < [1:11]
| |--SLASH -> / [1:12]
| |--P_HTML_TAG_NAME -> p [1:13]
| `--END -> > [1:14]
`--EOF -> <EOF> [1:15]
</code></pre></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p>
Checks can also be configured to log violations upon encountering non-tight HTML tags.
The <code>violateExecutionOnNonTightHtml</code> property can be used for this purpose in the
checks that support it. A custom check needs to extend <code>AbstractJavadocCheck</code> to
have this functionality readily available. Do note that a check which has this property set
to true, will log violations only for the first not-tight HTML tag found. To allow a check
to skip processing of javadocs with non-tight HTML, the
<code>acceptJavadocWithNonTightHtml</code> method in class <code>AbstractJavadocCheck</code> can be
overridden in the check. The following example illustrates how to use this property.
</p>
<p>
Input:
</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-text">
/**
* <body>
* <p> This class is only meant for testing. </p>
* <p> This p tag is not closed. It is non-tight. Will lead to violations if
* <tt>violateExecutionOnNonTightHtml</tt> is set to true for the check.
* <li>tight li tag <p>non-tight p tag, but only the 1st non-tight tag is logged in violation</li>
* </body>
*/
public class Test {
/**
<p><p>
paraception. Will result in a violation from the <tt>JavadocParagraph</tt> check due to
redundant tags.
</p></p>
*/
private int field1;
/**<tr> Zero </p> nesting despite `tr` is closed </tr>*/
private int field2;
/**
* <p> this paragraph is closed and would be nested in javadoc tree </p>
* <li> this list has an <p> unclosed para, but still the list would get nested </li>
*/
private int field3;
/**
* <li> Complete <p> nesting </p> </li>
*/
private int field4;
}
</code></pre></div>
<p>
Output with <code>violateExecutionOnNonTightHtml</code> set to false:
</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<table class="table table-striped">
<tr class="a">
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
<!DOCTYPE module PUBLIC
"-//Checkstyle//DTD Checkstyle Configuration 1.3//EN"
"https://checkstyle.org/dtds/configuration_1_3.dtd">
<module name="Checker">
<module name="TreeWalker">
<module name="JavadocParagraph">
<property name="violateExecutionOnNonTightHtml" value="false"/>
</module>
</module>
</module>
</code></pre></div>
</td>
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
Starting audit...
[ERROR] Test.java:11: Redundant <p> tag. [JavadocParagraph]
Audit done.
Checkstyle ends with 1 errors.
</code></pre></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p>
Output with <code>violateExecutionOnNonTightHtml</code> set to true:
</p>
<div class="wrapper">
<table class="table table-striped">
<tr class="a">
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
<!DOCTYPE module PUBLIC
"-//Checkstyle//DTD Checkstyle Configuration 1.3//EN"
"https://checkstyle.org/dtds/configuration_1_3.dtd">
<module name="Checker">
<module name="TreeWalker">
<module name="JavadocParagraph">
<property name="violateExecutionOnNonTightHtml" value="true"/>
</module>
</module>
</module>
</code></pre></div>
</td>
<td>
<div class="wrapper">
<pre class="prettyprint"><code class="language-xml">
Starting audit...
[ERROR] Test.java:4: Unclosed HTML tag found: p [JavadocParagraph]
[ERROR] Test.java:11: Redundant <p> tag. [JavadocParagraph]
[ERROR] Test.java:11: Unclosed HTML tag found: p [JavadocParagraph]
[ERROR] Test.java:18: Unclosed HTML tag found: tr [JavadocParagraph]
[ERROR] Test.java:23: Unclosed HTML tag found: p [JavadocParagraph]
Audit done.
Checkstyle ends with 5 errors.
</code></pre></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</section>
<section><a id="Checkstyle_SDK_GUI"></a>
<h1>Checkstyle SDK GUI</h1>
<p>
The Checkstyle GUI provides us with a way to show javadoc trees in java files. To run it,
use
</p>
<div class="wrap-content">