---
title: "<summary> (Visual C++) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "11/04/2016"
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ms.technology: ["cpp-ide"]
ms.tgt_pltfrm: ""
ms.topic: "article"
f1_keywords: ["<summary>", "summary"]
dev_langs: ["C++"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["<summary> C++ XML tag", "summary C++ XML tag"]
ms.assetid: cdeeefbb-1339-45d6-9002-10042a9a2726
caps.latest.revision: 9
author: "mikeblome"
ms.author: "mblome"
manager: "ghogen"
---
# &lt;summary&gt; (Visual C++)
The \<summary> tag should be used to describe a type or a type member. Use [\<remarks>](../ide/remarks-visual-cpp.md) to add supplemental information to a type description.  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
<summary>description</summary>  
```  
  
#### Parameters  
 `description`  
 A summary of the object.  
  
## Remarks  
 The text for the \<summary> tag is the only source of information about the type in IntelliSense, and is also displayed in the [Object Browser](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/f89acfc5-1152-413d-9f56-3dc16e3f0470) and in the Code Comment Web Report.  
  
 Compile with [/doc](../build/reference/doc-process-documentation-comments-c-cpp.md) to process documentation comments to a file.  
  
## Example  
  
```  
// xml_summary_tag.cpp  
// compile with: /LD /clr /doc  
// post-build command: xdcmake xml_summary_tag.dll  
  
/// Text for class MyClass.  
public ref class MyClass {  
public:  
   /// <summary>MyMethod is a method in the MyClass class.  
   /// <para>Here's how you could make a second paragraph in a description. <see cref="System::Console::WriteLine"/> for information about output statements.</para>  
   /// <seealso cref="MyClass::MyMethod2"/>  
   /// </summary>  
   void MyMethod(int Int1) {}  
  
   /// text  
   void MyMethod2() {}  
};  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [XML Documentation](../ide/xml-documentation-visual-cpp.md)