Reading python documentation in the terminal?

Question

Is there a way to install the python documentation that would make it available as if it was a manpage? (I know you can download the sourcefiles for the documentation and re

Answer 1

You can use the BIF help()

In terminal go to Python REPL like

python

Now type help()

Now for example if you wish to get help for a class say IPv4Network which is in ipaddress package then you just have to specify the fully qualified path for IPv4Network i.e ipaddress.IPv4Network

EXAMPLE:

$ python3
Python 3.6.5 |Anaconda, Inc.| (default, Apr 29 2018, 16:14:56) 
[GCC 7.2.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> help()
Welcome to Python 3.6's help utility!
help> ipaddress.IPv4Network
Help on class IPv4Network in ipaddress:

ipaddress.IPv4Network = class IPv4Network(_BaseV4, _BaseNetwork)
 |  This class represents and manipulates 32-bit IPv4 network + addresses..
 |  
 |  Attributes: [examples for IPv4Network('192.0.2.0/27')]
 |      .network_address: IPv4Address('192.0.2.0')
 |      .hostmask: IPv4Address('0.0.0.31')
 |      .broadcast_address: IPv4Address('192.0.2.32')
 |      .netmask: IPv4Address('255.255.255.224')
 |      .prefixlen: 27
 |  
 |  Method resolution order:
 |      IPv4Network
 |      _BaseV4
 |      _BaseNetwork
 |      _IPAddressBase
 |      builtins.object
 |  
 |  Methods defined here:
 |  
 |  __init__(self, address, strict=True)
 |      Instantiate a new IPv4 network object.
 |      
 |      Args:
 |          address: A string or integer representing the IP [& network].
 |            '192.0.2.0/24'
 |            '192.0.2.0/255.255.255.0'
 |            '192.0.0.2/0.0.0.255'
 |            are all functionally the same in IPv4. Similarly,
 |            '192.0.2.1'

and so on