Help function in Python

17 Sep, 2021
The Python help function is used to display the documentation of modules, functions, classes, keywords, etc. 
help([object])
object: Call help of the given object.
If the help function is passed without an argument, then the interactive help utility starts up on the console.
Let us check the documentation of the print function in the python console. 
Python3
help(print)
Output:
Help on built-in function print in module builtins:

print(...)
    print(value, ..., sep=' ', end='\n', file=sys.stdout, flush=False)

    Prints the values to a stream, or to sys.stdout by default.
    Optional keyword arguments:
    file:  a file-like object (stream); defaults to the current sys.stdout.
    sep:   string inserted between values, default a space.
    end:   string appended after the last value, default a newline.
    flush: whether to forcibly flush the stream.
Help function output can also be defined for user-defined functions and classes. The docstring(documentation string) is used for documentation. It is nested inside triple quotes and is the first statement within a class or function or a module.
Let us define a class with functions: 
Python3
class Helper:    def __init__(self):        '''The helper class is initialized'''     def print_help(self):        '''Returns the help description'''        print('helper description')  help(Helper)help(Helper.print_help)
On running the above program, we get the output of the first help function as shown below:  
Help on class Helper in module __main__:

class Helper(builtins.object)
 |  Methods defined here:
 |  
 |  __init__(self)
 |      The helper class is initialized
 |  
 |  print_help(self)
 |      Returns the help description
 |  
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Data descriptors defined here:
 |  
 |  __dict__
 |      dictionary for instance variables (if defined)
 |  
 |  __weakref__
 |      list of weak references to the object (if defined)

Help on function print_help in module __main__:

print_help(self)
    Returns the help description
The docstrings are declared using ”’triple single quotes”’ or “””triple double quotes””” just below the class, method or function declaration. All functions should have a docstring.
Accessing Docstrings: The docstrings can be accessed using the __doc__ method of the object or using the help function.
Python3
def my_function():    '''Demonstrates triple double quotes    docstrings and does nothing really.'''     return None print("Using __doc__:")print(my_function.__doc__) print("Using help:")help(my_function)
Output:
Using __doc__:
Demonstrates triple double quotes
    docstrings and does nothing really.
Using help:
Help on function my_function in module __main__:

my_function()
    Demonstrates triple double quotes
    docstrings and does nothing really.
kumar_satyam
Python-Built-in-functions
Python-Functions
Python
Writing code in comment?
Please use ide.geeksforgeeks.org,
generate link and share the link here.
Read JSON file using Python
Adding new column to existing DataFrame in Pandas
Python map() function
How to get column names in Pandas dataframe
Python Dictionary
Different ways to create Pandas Dataframe
Taking input in Python
Enumerate() in Python
Read a file line by line in Python
Python String | replace()