Javadoc: @inheritDoc: Inherit the documentation

{@inheritDoc} tag is used to inherit the documentation from the nearest inheritable class or implementable interface into the current documentation comment at this tag's location.

You can use @inheritedDoc tag in description block, or in the text arguments of @return, @param, and @throws tags.

Usage of @inheritDoc tag in description block

When you use @inheritDoc tag in description block, the main description is copied from a class or interface up the hierarchy.

/**

 * {@inheritDoc}

 */

@Override

public void welcomeEmployee(String empName) {

         System.out.println("Hello " + empName);

}

ABCOrg.java

package com.java.tags;

/**
 * 
 * @author Hari Krishna
 * 
 * @since 1.0
 */
public class ABCOrg {

 /**
  * Print welcome message to employee.
  * 
  * @param empName
  *            Employee Name
  */
 public void welcomeEmployee(String empName) {
  System.out.println("Hello " + empName);
 }

}

XYZOrg.java

package com.java.tags;

public class XYZOrg extends ABCOrg{

 /**
  * {@inheritDoc}
  */
 @Override
 public void welcomeEmployee(String empName) {
  System.out.println("Hello " + empName);
 }
}

Javadoc for the class XYZOrg generated like below.

Usage of @inheritDoc tag in tag descriptions of @return, @param, and @throws

When you use @inheritDoc tag in tag descriptions of @return, @param and @throws tags, the tag text is copied from the corresponding tag up the hierarchy.

ABCOrg.java

package com.java.tags;

/**
 * 
 * @author Hari Krishna
 * 
 * @since 1.0
 */
public class ABCOrg {

 /**
  * Print welcome message to employee.
  * 
  * @param empName
  *            Employee Name
  */
 public void welcomeEmployee(String empName) {
  System.out.println("Hello " + empName);
 }

}

XYZOrg.java

package com.java.tags;

public class XYZOrg extends ABCOrg{

 /**
  * Welcome Employee.
  * 
  * @param empName {@inheritDoc}
  */
 @Override
 public void welcomeEmployee(String empName) {
  System.out.println("Hello " + empName);
 }
}

Javadoc for the class XYZOrg generated like below.

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