Document the --code-highlight default (#9883)

Also normalized all help text using the patterns:

* `One sentence help text`
* `First sentence of help. Second sentence of help.`

changelog/9883.improvement.rst

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Normalize the help description of all command-line options.

src/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "enable_assertion_pass_hook",
         type="bool",
         default=False,
-        help="Enables the pytest_assertion_pass hook."
+        help="Enables the pytest_assertion_pass hook. "
         "Make sure to delete any previously generated pyc cache files.",
     )
 

src/_pytest/cacheprovider.py

@@ -440,15 +440,15 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "--last-failed",
         action="store_true",
         dest="lf",
-        help="rerun only the tests that failed "
+        help="Rerun only the tests that failed "
         "at the last run (or all if none failed)",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--ff",
         "--failed-first",
         action="store_true",
         dest="failedfirst",
-        help="run all tests, but run the last failures first.\n"
+        help="Run all tests, but run the last failures first. "
         "This may re-order tests and thus lead to "
         "repeated fixture setup/teardown.",
     )
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "--new-first",
         action="store_true",
         dest="newfirst",
-        help="run tests from new files first, then the rest of the tests "
+        help="Run tests from new files first, then the rest of the tests "
         "sorted by file mtime",
     )
     group.addoption(
@@ -466,28 +466,28 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         nargs="?",
         dest="cacheshow",
         help=(
-            "show cache contents, don't perform collection or tests. "
+            "Show cache contents, don't perform collection or tests. "
             "Optional argument: glob (default: '*')."
         ),
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--cache-clear",
         action="store_true",
         dest="cacheclear",
-        help="remove all cache contents at start of test run.",
+        help="Remove all cache contents at start of test run",
     )
     cache_dir_default = ".pytest_cache"
     if "TOX_ENV_DIR" in os.environ:
         cache_dir_default = os.path.join(os.environ["TOX_ENV_DIR"], cache_dir_default)
-    parser.addini("cache_dir", default=cache_dir_default, help="cache directory path.")
+    parser.addini("cache_dir", default=cache_dir_default, help="Cache directory path")
     group.addoption(
         "--lfnf",
         "--last-failed-no-failures",
         action="store",
         dest="last_failed_no_failures",
         choices=("all", "none"),
         default="all",
-        help="which tests to run with no previously (known) failures.",
+        help="Which tests to run with no previously (known) failures",
     )
 
 

src/_pytest/capture.py

@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         default="fd",
         metavar="method",
         choices=["fd", "sys", "no", "tee-sys"],
-        help="per-test capturing method: one of fd|sys|no|tee-sys.",
+        help="Per-test capturing method: one of fd|sys|no|tee-sys",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "-s",
         action="store_const",
         const="no",
         dest="capture",
-        help="shortcut for --capture=no.",
+        help="Shortcut for --capture=no",
     )
 
 

src/_pytest/config/__init__.py

@@ -1115,11 +1115,11 @@ def _initini(self, args: Sequence[str]) -> None:
         self.inicfg = inicfg
         self._parser.extra_info["rootdir"] = str(self.rootpath)
         self._parser.extra_info["inifile"] = str(self.inipath)
-        self._parser.addini("addopts", "extra command line options", "args")
-        self._parser.addini("minversion", "minimally required pytest version")
+        self._parser.addini("addopts", "Extra command line options", "args")
+        self._parser.addini("minversion", "Minimally required pytest version")
         self._parser.addini(
             "required_plugins",
-            "plugins that must be present for pytest to run",
+            "Plugins that must be present for pytest to run",
             type="args",
             default=[],
         )

src/_pytest/config/argparsing.py

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def __init__(
         _ispytest: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         check_ispytest(_ispytest)
-        self._anonymous = OptionGroup("custom options", parser=self, _ispytest=True)
+        self._anonymous = OptionGroup("Custom options", parser=self, _ispytest=True)
         self._groups: List[OptionGroup] = []
         self._processopt = processopt
         self._usage = usage

src/_pytest/debugging.py

@@ -46,21 +46,21 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "--pdb",
         dest="usepdb",
         action="store_true",
-        help="start the interactive Python debugger on errors or KeyboardInterrupt.",
+        help="Start the interactive Python debugger on errors or KeyboardInterrupt",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "--pdbcls",
         dest="usepdb_cls",
         metavar="modulename:classname",
         type=_validate_usepdb_cls,
-        help="specify a custom interactive Python debugger for use with --pdb."
+        help="Specify a custom interactive Python debugger for use with --pdb."
         "For example: --pdbcls=IPython.terminal.debugger:TerminalPdb",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "--trace",
         dest="trace",
         action="store_true",
-        help="Immediately break when running each test.",
+        help="Immediately break when running each test",
     )
 
 

src/_pytest/doctest.py

@@ -66,26 +66,26 @@
 def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
     parser.addini(
         "doctest_optionflags",
-        "option flags for doctests",
+        "Option flags for doctests",
         type="args",
         default=["ELLIPSIS"],
     )
     parser.addini(
-        "doctest_encoding", "encoding used for doctest files", default="utf-8"
+        "doctest_encoding", "Encoding used for doctest files", default="utf-8"
     )
     group = parser.getgroup("collect")
     group.addoption(
         "--doctest-modules",
         action="store_true",
         default=False,
-        help="run doctests in all .py modules",
+        help="Run doctests in all .py modules",
         dest="doctestmodules",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--doctest-report",
         type=str.lower,
         default="udiff",
-        help="choose another output format for diffs on doctest failure",
+        help="Choose another output format for diffs on doctest failure",
         choices=DOCTEST_REPORT_CHOICES,
         dest="doctestreport",
     )
@@ -94,21 +94,21 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         action="append",
         default=[],
         metavar="pat",
-        help="doctests file matching pattern, default: test*.txt",
+        help="Doctests file matching pattern, default: test*.txt",
         dest="doctestglob",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--doctest-ignore-import-errors",
         action="store_true",
         default=False,
-        help="ignore doctest ImportErrors",
+        help="Ignore doctest ImportErrors",
         dest="doctest_ignore_import_errors",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--doctest-continue-on-failure",
         action="store_true",
         default=False,
-        help="for a given doctest, continue to run after the first failure",
+        help="For a given doctest, continue to run after the first failure",
         dest="doctest_continue_on_failure",
     )
 

src/_pytest/faulthandler.py

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
     help = (
         "Dump the traceback of all threads if a test takes "
-        "more than TIMEOUT seconds to finish."
+        "more than TIMEOUT seconds to finish"
     )
     parser.addini("faulthandler_timeout", help, default=0.0)
 

src/_pytest/fixtures.py

@@ -1352,7 +1352,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "usefixtures",
         type="args",
         default=[],
-        help="list of default fixtures to be used with this project",
+        help="List of default fixtures to be used with this project",
     )
 
 

src/_pytest/helpconfig.py

@@ -49,23 +49,23 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         action="count",
         default=0,
         dest="version",
-        help="display pytest version and information about plugins. "
+        help="Display pytest version and information about plugins. "
         "When given twice, also display information about plugins.",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "-h",
         "--help",
         action=HelpAction,
         dest="help",
-        help="show help message and configuration info",
+        help="Show help message and configuration info",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "-p",
         action="append",
         dest="plugins",
         default=[],
         metavar="name",
-        help="early-load given plugin module name or entry point (multi-allowed).\n"
+        help="Early-load given plugin module name or entry point (multi-allowed). "
         "To avoid loading of plugins, use the `no:` prefix, e.g. "
         "`no:doctest`.",
     )
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "--trace-config",
         action="store_true",
         default=False,
-        help="trace considerations of conftest.py files.",
+        help="Trace considerations of conftest.py files",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--debug",
@@ -83,16 +83,17 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         const="pytestdebug.log",
         dest="debug",
         metavar="DEBUG_FILE_NAME",
-        help="store internal tracing debug information in this log file.\n"
-        "This file is opened with 'w' and truncated as a result, care advised.\n"
-        "Defaults to 'pytestdebug.log'.",
+        help="Store internal tracing debug information in this log file. "
+        "This file is opened with 'w' and truncated as a result, care advised. "
+        "Default: pytestdebug.log.",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "-o",
         "--override-ini",
         dest="override_ini",
         action="append",
-        help='override ini option with "option=value" style, e.g. `-o xfail_strict=True -o cache_dir=cache`.',
+        help='Override ini option with "option=value" style, '
+        "e.g. `-o xfail_strict=True -o cache_dir=cache`.",
     )
 
 
@@ -203,12 +204,12 @@ def showhelp(config: Config) -> None:
                     tw.line(indent + line)
 
     tw.line()
-    tw.line("environment variables:")
+    tw.line("Environment variables:")
     vars = [
-        ("PYTEST_ADDOPTS", "extra command line options"),
-        ("PYTEST_PLUGINS", "comma-separated plugins to load during startup"),
-        ("PYTEST_DISABLE_PLUGIN_AUTOLOAD", "set to disable plugin auto-loading"),
-        ("PYTEST_DEBUG", "set to enable debug tracing of pytest's internals"),
+        ("PYTEST_ADDOPTS", "Extra command line options"),
+        ("PYTEST_PLUGINS", "Comma-separated plugins to load during startup"),
+        ("PYTEST_DISABLE_PLUGIN_AUTOLOAD", "Set to disable plugin auto-loading"),
+        ("PYTEST_DEBUG", "Set to enable debug tracing of pytest's internals"),
     ]
     for name, help in vars:
         tw.line(f"  {name:<24} {help}")

src/_pytest/junitxml.py

@@ -386,15 +386,15 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         metavar="path",
         type=functools.partial(filename_arg, optname="--junitxml"),
         default=None,
-        help="create junit-xml style report file at given path.",
+        help="Create junit-xml style report file at given path",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--junitprefix",
         "--junit-prefix",
         action="store",
         metavar="str",
         default=None,
-        help="prepend prefix to classnames in junit-xml output",
+        help="Prepend prefix to classnames in junit-xml output",
     )
     parser.addini(
         "junit_suite_name", "Test suite name for JUnit report", default="pytest"

src/_pytest/logging.py

@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
 
     def add_option_ini(option, dest, default=None, type=None, **kwargs):
         parser.addini(
-            dest, default=default, type=type, help="default value for " + option
+            dest, default=default, type=type, help="Default value for " + option
         )
         group.addoption(option, dest=dest, **kwargs)
 
@@ -228,67 +228,67 @@ def add_option_ini(option, dest, default=None, type=None, **kwargs):
         default=None,
         metavar="LEVEL",
         help=(
-            "level of messages to catch/display.\n"
-            "Not set by default, so it depends on the root/parent log handler's"
+            "Level of messages to catch/display."
+            " Not set by default, so it depends on the root/parent log handler's"
             ' effective level, where it is "WARNING" by default.'
         ),
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-format",
         dest="log_format",
         default=DEFAULT_LOG_FORMAT,
-        help="log format as used by the logging module.",
+        help="Log format used by the logging module",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-date-format",
         dest="log_date_format",
         default=DEFAULT_LOG_DATE_FORMAT,
-        help="log date format as used by the logging module.",
+        help="Log date format used by the logging module",
     )
     parser.addini(
         "log_cli",
         default=False,
         type="bool",
-        help='enable log display during test run (also known as "live logging").',
+        help='Enable log display during test run (also known as "live logging")',
     )
     add_option_ini(
-        "--log-cli-level", dest="log_cli_level", default=None, help="cli logging level."
+        "--log-cli-level", dest="log_cli_level", default=None, help="CLI logging level"
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-cli-format",
         dest="log_cli_format",
         default=None,
-        help="log format as used by the logging module.",
+        help="Log format used by the logging module",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-cli-date-format",
         dest="log_cli_date_format",
         default=None,
-        help="log date format as used by the logging module.",
+        help="Log date format used by the logging module",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-file",
         dest="log_file",
         default=None,
-        help="path to a file when logging will be written to.",
+        help="Path to a file when logging will be written to",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-file-level",
         dest="log_file_level",
         default=None,
-        help="log file logging level.",
+        help="Log file logging level",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-file-format",
         dest="log_file_format",
         default=DEFAULT_LOG_FORMAT,
-        help="log format as used by the logging module.",
+        help="Log format used by the logging module",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-file-date-format",
         dest="log_file_date_format",
         default=DEFAULT_LOG_DATE_FORMAT,
-        help="log date format as used by the logging module.",
+        help="Log date format used by the logging module",
     )
     add_option_ini(
         "--log-auto-indent",