javadoc "warning: no @return"

TL;DR: Add a @return tag to each non-void method that is missing one. The "no @return" warning from doclint means a method returns a value but its doc comment never describes it. Write @return plus one line describing the result, then re-run javadoc.

warning: no @return

1. Reproduce with doclint enabled:

   javadoc -Xdoclint -d out src/com/example/*.java 2>&1 | grep "no @return"

   Expected: one line per method missing the tag, with file and line number.

2. Add the tag to each flagged method:

   @return the number of rows updated, or 0 if none matched

3. Re-run javadoc:

   javadoc -Xdoclint -d out src/com/example/*.java

   Expected: no warnings, and the HTML output shows the return descriptions.

4. Constructors and void methods do not need @return; if doclint flags one of those, the method signature is what needs a second look.

Use this when

• javadoc warns "no @return" on methods that return values
• CI treats doclint warnings as failures
• You are documenting a public API method by method

Not for this skill when

• The method returns void or is a constructor - no @return is expected there
• The warning is "no description for @param" - that is the param-description fix
• doclint is off and the build is green - the tag is only required under doclint

Variant phrasings

• "javadoc no return warning"
• "warning: no @return"
• "doclint missing return tag"

Why it happens

doclint expects every method with a non-void return type to document what it returns, because the return value is part of the method's contract. Methods documented before doclint was enabled, or written quickly, often lack the tag.

Edge cases

• A @return with no description text of its own can trigger the "no description" check next; always write the description.
• Methods returning boolean deserve the meaning of true and false spelled out, not just the type.
• Fluent methods that return the receiver still need @return; describe what the returned object represents.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_Br66J4vCWa9PI0GWepoNZA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_Br66J4vCWa9PI0GWepoNZA

Thread query: javadoc "warning: no @return"

TL;DR: