/** and /* in Java Comments -
what's difference between
/** * comment * * */ and
/* * * comment * */ in java? when should use them?
the first form called javadoc. use when you're writing formal apis code, generated javadoc tool. example, the java 7 api page uses javadoc , generated tool.
some common elements you'd see in javadoc include:
@param: used indicate parameters being passed method, , value they're expected have@return: used indicate result method going give back@throws: used indicate method throws exception or error in case of input@since: used indicate earliest java version class or function available in
as example, here's javadoc compare method of integer:
/** * compares 2 {@code int} values numerically. * value returned identical returned by: * <pre> * integer.valueof(x).compareto(integer.valueof(y)) * </pre> * * @param x first {@code int} compare * @param y second {@code int} compare * @return value {@code 0} if {@code x == y}; * value less {@code 0} if {@code x < y}; , * value greater {@code 0} if {@code x > y} * @since 1.7 */ public static int compare(int x, int y) { return (x < y) ? -1 : ((x == y) ? 0 : 1); } the second form block (multi-line) comment. use if want have multiple lines in comment.
i you'd want use latter form sparingly; is, don't want overburden code block comments don't describe behaviors method/complex function supposed have.
since javadoc more descriptive of two, , can generate actual documentation result of using it, using javadoc more preferable simple block comments.