pydocstringformatter
A tool to automatically format Python docstrings that tries to follow recommendations from PEP 8 and PEP 257.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. The package is actively maintained, has no dependencies, requires only Python 3.11+, carries no known vulnerabilities, and solves a real problem in code quality enforcement. Install it if your team wants automated, configurable docstring formatting aligned with PEP standards.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.11 or later.
- Low friction—pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies.
- Actively maintained as of 41 days ago with recent commits and a stable release cycle.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-07-04 (41 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-10 · 90 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 172,192 downloads/mo, #10,345 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pydocstringformatter
pydocstringformatter myfile.py
# Or with configuration in pyproject.toml:
[tool.pydocstringformatter]
write = true
style = "pep257"- Whether the tool can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines beyond pre-commit hooks.
- Performance characteristics when run on large codebases or projects with thousands of files.
- How the tool handles edge cases in docstrings with complex formatting or non-ASCII characters.
What it is and what it does
Pydocstringformatter is a command-line tool that reads Python source files and automatically reformats their docstrings to align with PEP 8 and PEP 257 style guidelines. It was created by contributors to the pylint project to address gaps in existing formatters, with a design philosophy that makes some of the more contentious PEP requirements optional rather than mandatory.
The tool handles common docstring issues: fixing quote styles, capitalizing summaries, normalizing whitespace, enforcing period terminators, and aligning multi-line docstrings. It supports multiple style guides simultaneously (e.g., pep257 and numpydoc), reads configuration from pyproject.toml, and integrates with pre-commit workflows. With zero runtime dependencies and active maintenance, it's designed as a lightweight addition to Python development toolchains.
Use it for
- Enforce consistent docstring formatting across a team or open-source project without manual review.
- Integrate into CI/CD pipelines via pre-commit hooks to catch docstring style violations before merge.
- Reformat legacy codebases to meet modern PEP 257 standards in bulk.
- Configure project-specific docstring rules in pyproject.toml and apply them uniformly.
- Use as a linting step alongside pylint to maintain documentation quality.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
The package is actively maintained, has no dependencies, requires only Python 3.11+, carries no known vulnerabilities, and solves a real problem in code quality enforcement. Install it if your team wants automated, configurable docstring formatting aligned with PEP standards.
Install
pydocstringformatter on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction—pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained as of 41 days ago with recent commits and a stable release cycle.
Requires Python 3.11 or later.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install pydocstringformatter
pydocstringformatter myfile.py
# Or with configuration in pyproject.toml:
[tool.pydocstringformatter]
write = true
style = "pep257"Verify before relying
- Whether the tool can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines beyond pre-commit hooks.
- Performance characteristics when run on large codebases or projects with thousands of files.
- How the tool handles edge cases in docstrings with complex formatting or non-ASCII characters.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.11 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 41 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 172,192 / month, #10,345 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.15Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonTopic :: Software Development :: Quality Assurance |
Evidence: pydocstringformatter-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also docformatter · flake8-docstrings · pydocstyle · attributes-doc · docstring-parser · pep8 · docstr-coverage · flake8-rst-docstrings · pdoc3 · pycodestyle