How does Godot show tooltips for C# exports?

From XML doc comments above the property: /// <summary>Description here</summary>. Godot reads these when the project is built with Generate XML Documentation enabled.

## Comments above @export properties: ## This is the tooltip text. Both languages support inspector tooltip generation from docs.

Fix: Godot C# Export Property Tooltip Not Shown

Q: Why isn't my tooltip appearing?

The .csproj doesn’t generate documentation XML. Add <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile> to PropertyGroup; rebuild. Godot then has the XML to read.

Quick answer: Add XML doc comments above the property and enable <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile> in the .csproj. Godot reads the XML for tooltips.

In GDScript, ## comments produce inspector tooltips. In C#, you tried the same pattern with // comments and nothing appears. Godot uses XML documentation for C# tooltips, not regular comments.

XML Doc Comments

public partial class Enemy : Node
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Max health for this enemy. Damage above this value kills instantly.
    /// </summary>
    [Export] public int MaxHealth { get; set; } = 100;
}

The /// triple-slash format is C#’s XML doc convention. The <summary> content becomes the Godot Inspector tooltip.

Enable XML Generation

In your .csproj, add to the PropertyGroup:

<PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile>
</PropertyGroup>

Rebuild. The Mono project now produces a YourProject.xml next to YourProject.dll. Godot reads it for tooltips.

Suppress Warnings

Once enabled, every public member without docs produces warning CS1591. Either document everything, or suppress the warning:

<NoWarn>$(NoWarn);CS1591</NoWarn>

Or document only public API and add CS1591 to NoWarn for internals.

GDScript Equivalent

## Max health for this enemy.
## Damage above this value kills instantly.
@export var max_health: int = 100

Double-hash comments above the @export variable. No project settings needed.

Verifying

Build the project. In Godot, select the Enemy script’s instance. Hover over MaxHealth in the Inspector. Tooltip should display the summary text. If empty, the XML file wasn’t generated or doesn’t match the .dll name.

“XML docs + GenerateDocumentationFile = Godot tooltips for C#. Two requirements; both needed.”

For larger teams, documented exports cut down on “what does this property do?” questions — the answer is one hover away.