It is often useful to write brief documentation right in the source code.
The tool "zudocu" extracts this and produces HTML.

Example

       #= The Label class is used for simple text widgets.
       #  this line doesn't show up.
       #: example
       #%   ZWT.Button hello = NEW("hello!")
       #%   hello.setStyle(NEW().setColor(NEW("red"))
       CLASS Label EXTENDS Widget
         #= Create a new Label with the text |text|.
         #> text: Any valid string.  NIL is equal to an empty string.
         NEW(string text)
         ...
         #= Set the text in the Label to |text|.
         #- If the Label is visible it is updated immediately.
         #> text: Any valid string.  NIL is equal to an empty string.
         #> Returns THIS for chaining.
         FUNC setText(string text): Label
         ...
         #= Set the main style to |style|.
         #- Any previous style is dropped.
         #> style: When NIL the style is cleared.
         #> Returns THIS for chaining.
         FUNC Label setStyle(Style style)

Produces something that displays:

            CLASS Label

    summary
            The Label class is used for simple text widgets.

          example
       ZWT.Button hello = NEW("hello!")
       hello.setStyle(NEW().setColor(NEW("red"))

          Label setText(string text)          Set the text in the Label to text.
          Label setStyle(Style style)         Set the main style to style.

      inherited from Widget:
                  setPosition(int x, int y)           Set absolute position.

    known children
              AnimatedLabel

    methods
            Label setText(string text)
 
                Set the text in the Label to text.

                If the Label is visible it is updated immediately.

                string text:      Any valid string.  NIL is equal to an empty string.
                returns Label:  THIS for chaining.

Special Comments

#= text	Summary, should be one or two lines.  Tells what the method is for.
#- text	Additional information, explains what the method does exactly.
#% text	An example, uses different background and mono spaced font
#: name	Start a new section with header "name"
#+ name	Additional information for argument "name"
#+ returns	Additional information for the return value
#+ throws	Additional information about exceptions
#*name	Start a new footer section "name", positioned below the other information
#* text	Continue the footer section
#x? text	(where x is one of =, -, : + or *) don't mention this item in the table of contents.
#x> text	(where x is one of =, -, :, + or *) don't escape HTML, use text literally

 

Formatting

A wiki-like syntax is used for formatting.

simple list:

          # - list item one
          #      continued
          # - list item two
          # below the list

     shows up as:

• list item one continued
• list item two

Marking argument names and links to other classes and methods:

           #  argument |text| is used just like in @Widget.

An URL can be entered in between three @:

           #  See @http://www.zimbu.org/documentation@this page@ for more information.

To be continued....