Style for docstring

[MRAB]

On 2022-04-23 00:25, Rob Cliffe via Python-list wrote:
> I don't use docstrings much; instead I put a line or two of comments
> after the `def ` line.
> But my practice in such situations is as per the OP's 3rd suggestion, e.g.
>       # Returns True if .....
> I'm curious as to why so many people prefer "Return" to "Returns".
> Checking out help() on a few functions in the stdlib, they all used
> "Return" or a grammatical equivalent, so this does seem to be a Python
> cultural thing.  But why?  To me, "Returns" begins a description as to
> what the function does, whereas "Return" is an imperative.  But who is
> it addresed to?  Is a function considered to be a sentient entity that
> can respond to a command?  Is it an invocation to the lines of code
> following the docstring: "Do this!" Might not the programmer mistakenly
> think (if only for a moment) that the imperative is addressed to him?

Maybe it's because the function name is often also an imperative, e.g.:

 >>> import re
 >>> help(re.search)
Help on function search in module re:

search(pattern, string, flags=0)
     Scan through string looking for a match to the pattern, returning
     a Match object, or None if no match was found.


Note "Scan", not "scans".


I was going to use 'print' as the example:

 >>> help(print)
Help on built-in function print in module builtins:

print(...)
     print(value, ..., sep=' ', end='\n', file=sys.stdout, flush=False)

     Prints the values to a stream, or to sys.stdout by default.
     Optional keyword arguments:
     file:  a file-like object (stream); defaults to the current sys.stdout.
     sep:   string inserted between values, default a space.
     end:   string appended after the last value, default a newline.
     flush: whether to forcibly flush the stream.


but it says "Prints", not "Print"...