Python, Google style docstrings: Define an argument or return type as a sublcass of another type?

Question

How is one supposed to document that an argument, or return type, is intended to be a subclass of a particular type using Google style docstrings?

This how I suggest a subclass when using type hints.

from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Type
...

if TYPE_CHECKING:
    from package.core import AbstractClass

def foo(bar: Type["AbstractClass"]) -> str:
    ...

Assuming the above is reasonable, how do I then similarly document this in the docstring?

def foo(bar: Type["AbstractClass"]) -> str:
    """Map the class to str for no other reason then that SO question makes more sense.

    Args:
        bar (???): A concrete subclass of an abstract class.

    Returns:
        str: ...
    """
    ...

Answer 1

I would recommend to not repeat the type information in the docstring. You mention you use pdoc, which already displays the type annotation, so you are creating an unnecessary source of inconsistencies here.

If you really want to repeat the type information, you can repeat what you use for the annotation, i.e. Type[AbstractClass].