# describe

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kotlin.github.io/dataframe/llms.txt).

Returns [DataFrame](dataframe.html) with general statistics for all [ValueColumns](datacolumn.html#valuecolumn).

API reference: [describe](https://kotlin.github.io/dataframe/api-docs/core/org.jetbrains.kotlinx.dataframe.api/describe.html)

```KOTLIN
describe [ columns ]
```

[ColumnGroup](datacolumn.html#columngroup) and [FrameColumns](datacolumn.html#framecolumn) are traversed recursively down to `ValueColumns`.

## Summary Metrics:

* `name` — The name of the column.

* `path` — The path to the column (for a hierarchical `DataFrame`).

* `type` — The data type of the column (e.g., Int, String, Boolean).

* `count` — The total number of non-null values in the column.

* `unique` — The number of unique values in the column.

* `nulls` — The count of null (missing) values in the column.

* `top` — The most frequently occurring value in the column.

* `freq` — The frequency of the most common value.

* `mean` — The arithmetic mean (only for numeric columns).

* `std` — The standard deviation (only for numeric columns).

* `min` — The minimum value in the column.

* `p25` — The 25th percentile value (first quartile).

* `median` — The median value (50th percentile / second quartile).

* `p75` — The 75th percentile value (third quartile).

* `max` — The maximum value in the column.

For non-numeric columns, statistical metrics such as `mean` and `std` will return `null`. If column values are incomparable, percentile values (`min`, `p25`, `median`, `p75`, `max`) will also return `null`.

```KOTLIN
df.describe()
```

[Embedded content](resources/org.jetbrains.kotlinx.dataframe.samples.api.Analyze.describe.html)

To describe only specific columns, pass them as an argument:

Properties:

```KOTLIN
df.describe { age and name.allCols() }
```

Strings:

```KOTLIN
df.describe { "age" and "name".allCols() }
```

[Embedded content](resources/org.jetbrains.kotlinx.dataframe.samples.api.Analyze.describeColumns.html)