# describe_text
URL: https://lsd.tools/docs/api-describe-describe-text
Updated: 2026-07-17

## Parameters

| name | type | default | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `data` | `Optional[Dict[str, Any]]` | `None` | a snapshot from [`describe_api()`](/docs/api-describe-describe-api); recomputed fresh when omitted |

## Example

```python
from lsdtools.advanced import describe_text

print(describe_text())
```

Pass an existing snapshot to avoid re-introspecting:

```python
from lsdtools import describe_api
from lsdtools.advanced import describe_text

snap = describe_api()
print(describe_text(snap))
```

## Notes

Lives in [`lsdtools.advanced`](/docs/api-advanced), not the top-level surface. When `data` is
omitted it calls [`describe_api()`](/docs/api-describe-describe-api) itself. The output lists the
`api_version` / `lsd_version`, a public-surface count, then each step (tagged with its kind) and
entity with their required and optional parameter names — a human summary, not machine-readable JSON.

## See also

**API:** [describe_api](/docs/api-describe-describe-api) · [describe_markdown](/docs/api-describe-describe-markdown) · [lsdtools.advanced](/docs/api-advanced)

**Guides:** [CLI commands](/docs/api-cli)