require-exported-doc-comment

Require exported declarations to include a leading TypeDoc comment block.

Targeted pattern scope

This rule targets exported declarations that TypeDoc commonly documents, including:

exported functions and classes
exported interfaces, type aliases, enums, and namespaces
exported variable declarations

What this rule reports

This rule reports exported declarations that do not have an adjacent leading TypeDoc block comment.

Why this rule exists

Public exports define your documented API surface. Missing comments on exports produce gaps in generated docs and make API intent harder to understand.

❌ Incorrect

export function createClient(): void {}

✅ Correct

/**
 * Create the primary API client.
 */
export function createClient(): void {}

Behavior and migration notes

This rule does not apply changes during --fix.

It provides an editor suggestion that inserts a minimal documentation stub (for example: buildClient API documentation.) so authors can replace it with real API intent.

By default, this rule ignores non-production paths:

test/**, tests/**
benchmark/**, benchmarks/**
fixture/**, fixtures/**
temp/**, coverage/**, dist/**, build/**, generated/**

Use ignorePatterns to override those defaults, and ignoreDeclarationFiles: true when declaration outputs should be skipped.

Rule options:

type RuleOptions = [
    {
        ignoreDeclarationFiles?: boolean;
        ignorePatterns?: string[];
    }?
];

ESLint flat config example

import typedocPlugin from "eslint-plugin-typedoc";

export default [
    {
        plugins: { typedoc: typedocPlugin },
        rules: {
            "typedoc/require-exported-doc-comment": "error",
        },
    },
];

When not to use it

Disable this rule when a package intentionally has no generated API documentation and treats exports as internal-only implementation details.

Package documentation

TypeDoc package documentation:

TypeDoc comments

Adoption resources

Start with typedoc.configs.recommended and apply suggestions during docs review, not blanket --fix runs.

Targeted pattern scope​

What this rule reports​

Why this rule exists​

❌ Incorrect​

✅ Correct​

Behavior and migration notes​

ESLint flat config example​

When not to use it​

Package documentation​

Further reading​

Adoption resources​