Hiding attribute details in mkdocstrings for MkDocs

by

Summary

When using mkdocstrings with Material for MkDocs, users often want to display only the class summary (including the attributes table) without showing individual attribute details below it. Despite extensive configuration attempts, achieving this behavior can be tricky due to how mkdocstrings renders docstrings and handles inherited or filtered members.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in the interaction between:

  • The filters option preventing private attributes (!^_) from being shown
  • The inherited_members and merge_init_into_class settings influencing what gets rendered
  • The lack of granular control over rendering summaries versus full member documentation
  • mkdocstrings’ default behavior to always render full attribute details when present in docstrings

Specifically, enabling summary: true alone does not suppress detailed attribute documentation; it just adds a summary section.

Why This Happens in Real Systems

In real-world systems:

  • Auto-generated documentation pulls content directly from source code and docstrings
  • Developers may not realize that hiding parts of autogenerated docs requires precise plugin tuning
  • Configuration options are numerous and sometimes interact unexpectedly
  • Teams often prioritize getting something working over making it clean initially—leading to cluttered docs later

Real-World Impact

This issue impacts teams and users by:

  • Causing documentation bloat, especially in large Python projects with many inherited or complex classes
  • Making it harder for developers to quickly locate high-value summary information such as class responsibilities and key parameters
  • Reducing readability and increasing cognitive load during onboarding or maintenance
  • Reflecting poorly on project quality even if internal logic is sound

Example or Code (if necessary and relevant)

plugins:
  - mkdocstrings:
      handlers:
        python:
          options:
            show_if_no_docstring: true
            docstring_section_style: list
            filters: ["!^_"]
            inherited_members: true
            merge_init_into_class: true
            show_docstring_returns: false
            show_signature_annotations: true
            signature_crossrefs: true
            show_symbol_type_heading: true
            summary: true

Note: The above configuration enables the summary feature but still shows full attribute descriptions unless additional controls are applied via templates or custom handlers.

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers typically resolve this by:

  • Leveraging custom templates or overriding default mkdocstrings rendering hooks
  • Using parameter_headings, separate_signature, and related flags strategically to streamline layout
  • Applying regex-based filters more aggressively to strip out verbose attribute sections
  • Switching to alternative docstring styles (e.g., NumPy or Google) for better modularity
  • Writing wrapper functions or preprocessing scripts to clean docstring inputs before generation

They also understand that clean documentation reflects clean code practices and invest time upfront to get it right.

Why Juniors Miss It

Juniors tend to overlook this because:

  • They’re focused on basic functionality (“does it work?”) rather than presentation
  • There’s little immediate feedback about poor UX unless someone points it out
  • mkdocstrings’ configuration surface is vast and poorly documented in places
  • It feels like “just another YAML setting”—but small misconfigurations compound quickly
  • Lack of exposure to mature documentation workflows means they don’t know what good looks like

Leave a Comment