pdoc3

What it is and what it does

pdoc3 is a command-line tool and Python library that reads your Python source code and generates formatted API documentation without requiring configuration files or special markup. It parses docstrings in Markdown, numpydoc, and Google-style formats, respects type annotations from PEP 484 and PEP 526, and automatically cross-links referenced identifiers within the documentation.

The tool is designed for minimal setup: point it at a module, package, or import path and it produces browsable HTML documentation. It includes a built-in development web server for previewing changes, supports customizable templates for advanced users, and respects Python conventions like `__all__` and docstring inheritance. It handles both module-level and instance variables by traversing abstract syntax trees.

Use it for:

• Generate API documentation for open-source Python packages without maintaining separate doc configuration or build steps.
• Create quick reference documentation during development using the built-in web server for instant preview.
• Document internal Python projects where minimal configuration and automatic cross-linking reduce maintenance overhead.
• Support multiple docstring formats (Markdown, Google-style, numpydoc) across a mixed codebase without reformatting.
• Publish type-annotated API docs that automatically reflect PEP 484 and PEP 526 type information from source.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Generates API documentation for Python 3+ projects automatically from source code and docstrings, supporting multiple docstring formats and type annotations.

Yes, if you need straightforward API documentation for Python 3.9+ projects and accept AGPL-3.0 licensing. The low install friction, active maintenance, and zero known vulnerabilities make it reliable. The AGPL copyleft license is the main consideration: if your project or use case requires permissive licensing, this is not suitable; otherwise, it's a solid choice for minimal-configuration documentation generation.

Install

pdoc3 on PyPI

pip install pdoc3

uv add pdoc3

poetry add pdoc3

Installing pdoc3

Before you install

Low install friction with only two runtime dependencies (mako and markdown). Actively maintained with recent commits and a stable production status.

License in practice

Licensed under AGPL-3.0, which requires that any modifications or derivative works be distributed under the same license and that source code be made available to users. This is a copyleft license with stronger obligations than permissive alternatives.

Quickstart

$ pip install pdoc3
$ pdoc your_project

Or in Python:
import pdoc
pdoc.pdoc('your_module')

Requires Python 3.9 or later.

Verify before relying

• Whether the built-in development web server supports live-reload or auto-refresh during documentation preview.
• Performance characteristics when documenting very large projects or deeply nested package hierarchies.
• Whether cross-linking works across multiple separate projects or only within a single module/package.

Package facts

Evidence: pdoc3-0.11.6-py3-none-any.whl

Tags

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