Python Docstring - two different types of arguments of a function

Question

I tried to make my function-description look beautiful but it didn't work. The problem is that I have two types of returns: a list and a string. Then you hover on functions vscode shows the returns of the functions like this. I found out that you can define one type of return using this example (-> str):

def function(x, y) -> str:
  string = "test"
  return string

But let's say I have tow diffrent return in my code:

def function(x, y):
  if x == 1:
    string = "test"
    return string
  else:
    list = [1, 2]
    return list

How to assign two different types of returns to that function? here is another example

You probably don't want a function with return type Union[str, list] in the first place. (As an aside, docstrings are not involved here at all.) — chepner
– chepner, Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 16:05
As per comment above, the syntax is Union[str, list] but it is a bad idea to have a function that returns one of two unrelated types - that will complicate all the other code that has to call that function. Avoiding that will probably lead to a better design. — Anentropic
– Anentropic, Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 16:17
In what circumstances may I add "urgent" or other similar phrases to my question, in order to obtain faster answers? — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 16:20
And as referenced -- these are type hints, which are a completely different thing than docstrings. — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 16:21

Tom McLean · Accepted Answer · 2022-06-15 16:08:33Z

1

from typing import Union, List

def function(x, y) -> Union[str, List[int]]:
  if x == 1:
    return "test"
  return [1, 2]

answered Jun 15, 2022 at 16:08

Tom McLean

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Comments

lukeg · Accepted Answer · 2022-06-15 16:09:50Z

0

Depending on your Python version, there are multiple ways this can be epxressed:

Prior to 3.9:

from typing import Union, List
def foo() -> Union[str, List]: pass

Since Python v. 3.9 you can also write:

 from typing import Union
 def foo() -> Union[str, list]: pass

Since Python v. 3.10 you can also write:
```
 def foo() -> str | list: pass
```

answered Jun 15, 2022 at 16:09

lukeg

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