GOST 19.404-79 PDF

Full title and description

GOST 19.404-79 — Unified system for program documentation. Explanatory note. Requirements for contents and form of presentation. National standard of the former USSR establishing the required content, structure and formatting rules for the explanatory note (пояснительная записка) that accompanies software/program products as part of the Unified System of Program Documentation (ЕСПД).

Abstract

This short normative document specifies what must be included in an explanatory note for software and program systems and how that note should be presented. It defines required sections (purpose, technical description, input/output data, resource justification, expected technical‑economic indicators, references, appendices, etc.) and sets basic formatting and presentation conventions to ensure consistent, machine‑independent program documentation within the ЕСПД framework.

General information

• Status: Originally adopted 1979; commonly listed in Russian standards catalogs as in-force/active in legacy collections — users should confirm current legal status with their national standards body.
• Publication date: Adopted by resolution on 11 December 1979; effective from 1 January 1981 (implementation date shown in normative catalogs).
• Publisher: Gosstandart of the USSR (State Committee for Standards of the USSR); maintained historically within the GOST/GOST R system and carried in commercial standards collections.
• ICS / categories: 35.080 — Software engineering and program documentation (Unified System for Program Documentation — ЕСПД).
• Edition / version: Original designation and edition: GOST 19.404-79 (1979).
• Number of pages: Very short normative text — typically published as a 2–4 page leaflet (commercial copies list 2–4 pages depending on format).

Scope

Applies to the explanatory note (пояснительная записка) component of program documentation created under the Unified System for Program Documentation (ЕСПД). It covers the required content items, recommended organization of information, and basic rules for the presentation and formatting of the explanatory note so that program documentation is consistent, complete and usable for development, testing, transfer and maintenance.

Key topics and requirements

• Mandatory sections for the explanatory note: title and identification information, purpose and area of application, technical description of the program, input and output data descriptions, algorithmic and structural overview, software and hardware resource justification, distribution of data carriers and storage media.
• Economic and operational indicators: requirement to state expected technical‑economic or operational performance indicators where applicable.
• References and sources: listing of normative, technical and scientific references used during development.
• Appendices: allowance for tables, calculations, test data, method descriptions and other supporting materials as annexes.
• Formatting and presentation rules: brief rules to ensure consistent layout, section numbering and content order compatible with other GOST 19.x documentation items (title block information, basic layout conventions defined by related ЕСПД standards).
• Integration: how the explanatory note links to other documents in the program documentation set (specifications, design descriptions, test documentation, user documentation).

Typical use and users

Used by software developers, system designers, technical writers and documentation specialists preparing program documentation for governmental, industrial or legacy projects in the former USSR and successor states. Also consulted by maintenance teams, configuration managers and auditors handling legacy systems or projects that require compliance with ЕСПД conventions.

Related standards

Part of the GOST 19 (ЕСПД) family of standards. Commonly referenced companion documents include other GOST 19.x items that define title block content, document layout, technical specifications and various program documentation types (examples: GOST 19.101, GOST 19.102, GOST 19.104, GOST 19.105 and related design/test documentation standards). Modern projects may also consider later national or international software documentation standards for user and developer documentation.

Keywords

GOST 19.404-79, ЕСПД, explanatory note, пояснительная записка, program documentation, software documentation, documentation format, USSR standard, content requirements, technical documentation.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: GOST 19.404-79 is a short USSR standard that specifies the required content and presentation rules for the explanatory note that accompanies software/program products under the Unified System for Program Documentation (ЕСПД).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the structure and minimum content of an explanatory note (purpose, technical description, input/output, resources, expected indicators, references and appendices) plus basic rules for layout and presentation to ensure consistency with other ЕСПД documents.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Software developers, system engineers, technical authors and documentation/quality personnel working with projects that follow ЕСПД conventions or that involve legacy Soviet/Russian documentation requirements.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The standard was adopted in 1979 (GOST 19.404-79) with implementation entries showing effect from 1 January 1981. Many Russian standards collections continue to list it; however national and industry practices have evolved and newer national or international standards may supplement or replace parts of the GOST 19 series. Confirm the current legal/official status with your national standards body or the relevant standards registry before assuming mandatory applicability.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is one component of the GOST 19 series (Unified System for Program Documentation, ЕСПД). The series includes multiple documents that together define document types, layout, title blocks and the content requirements for software documentation.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Explanatory note, program documentation, ЕСПД, GOST 19.404-79, software documentation, content requirements, USSR standard.