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eXamples - Python Tests and Documentation Done by Example.

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eXamples (AKA: xamples for SEO) is a Python3 library enabling interactable, self-documenting, and self-verifying examples. These examples are attached directly to Python functions using decorators or via separate MODULE_examples.py source files.

Example Usage Gif

Key Features:

  • Simple and Obvious API: Add @examples.example(*args, **kwargs) decorators for each example you want to add to a function.
  • Auto Documenting: Examples, by default, get added to your functions docstring viewable both in interactive interpreters and when using portray or pdocs.
  • Signature Validating: All examples can easily be checked to ensure they match the function signature (and type annotations!) with a single call (examples.verify_all_signatures()).
  • Act as Tests: Examples act as additional test cases, that can easily be verified using a single test case in your favorite test runner: (examples.test_all_examples()).
  • Async Compatibility: Examples can be attached and tested as easily against async functions as non-async ones.

What's Missing:

  • Class Support: Currently examples can only be attached to individual functions. Class and method support is planned for a future release.

Quick Start

The following guides should get you up and running using eXamples in no time.

  1. Installation - TL;DR: Run pip3 install examples within your projects virtual environment.

  2. Adding Examples - TL;DR: Add example decorators that represent each of your examples:

    # my_module_with_examples.py
from examples import example

@example(1, number_2=1, _example_returns=2)
def add(number_1: int, number_2: int) -> int:
    return number_1 + number_2

  3. Verify and Test Examples - TL;DR: run examples.verify_and_test_examples within your projects test cases.

    # test_my_module_with_examples.py
from examples import verify_and_test_examples

import my_module_with_examples

def test_examples_verifying_signature():
    verify_and_test_examples(my_module_with_examples)

  4. Introspect Examples -

    import examples

from my_module_with_examples import add

examples.get_examples(add)[0].use() == 2

Why Create Examples?

I've always wanted a way to attach examples to functions in a way that would be re-useable for documentation, testing, and API proposes. Just like moving Python parameter types from comments into type annotations has made them more broadly useful, I hope examples can do the same for example calls.

I hope you too find eXamples useful!

~Timothy Crosley