GOST 19.504-79 PDF

Full title and description

GOST 19.504-79 — Unified system for program documentation. Programmer's guide. Requirements for contents and form of presentation. The standard specifies the required content, structure and rules of presentation for the software documentation item known as the "Programmer's guide" (руководство программиста) within the Unified System for Program Documentation (ЕСПД / ESPD).

Abstract

This interstate (GOST) standard defines what must be included in a Programmer's Guide and how that information should be formatted and presented. It establishes section structure, mandatory and recommended content elements (purpose, functional description, algorithms, data structures, interfaces, examples, operating notes, change history, references, etc.), and basic rules for numbering, headings and illustrative materials in program documentation produced under the Unified System for Program Documentation.

General information

• Status: Introduced by the State Committee for Standards of the USSR; commonly listed in present-day catalogs as an active/valid interstate standard with later reprints and at least one amendment (Amendment No.1, 1981).
• Publication date: Approved 12 January 1979; original designation dated 1979 (ГОСТ 19.504-79); date of introduction most commonly given as 01 January 1980 (some editions/reprints record 01 January 1981).
• Publisher: Approved by the USSR State Committee for Standards (Gosstandart). Originally published by the Publishing House of Standards (Издательство стандартов); later reprints/consolidated editions issued by Standartinform.
• ICS / categories: 35.080 — Information technology. Office machines. Software development and system documentation (classified in the software documentation/documentation systems sector of standards).
• Edition / version: Designation: GOST 19.504-79 (first issued 1979). Includes Amendment No.1 (1981). Consolidated/reprint editions have been produced (e.g., official reprint editions issued in later years).
• Number of pages: Short normative text — commonly published as 2–3 pages depending on the reprint/format (official consolidated editions typically list 2 pages; some catalogs list 3 pages).

Scope

GOST 19.504-79 applies to the preparation of the Programmer's Guide document defined by GOST 19.101-77 and is intended for use wherever program documentation conforms to the Unified System for Program Documentation (ЕСПД). It sets mandatory and recommended requirements for content and presentation so that programmer-level documentation is consistent, complete and usable for maintenance, development and handover of software products.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of the Programmer's Guide within the Unified System for Program Documentation and its relationship to other ESPD documents.
• Required sections and their contents: purpose and scope, functional description, algorithmic descriptions, data structures and storage, external and internal interfaces, calling sequences, input/output formats, examples of usage and test cases, error handling and recovery, performance notes.
• Formatting and presentation rules: section numbering, headings, tables, code listings, diagrams, references and bibliographic entries, change-log and version identification.
• Rules for clarity and completeness to support use by other developers, maintainers and integrators (including minimum content required for correct modification and reuse).
• Instructions on cross-references to related documentation items (system programmer's guide, operator's manual, language descriptions, operational lists).
• Provision for amendments and updates (how changes are recorded and reflected in the document).

Typical use and users

Used by software developers, system and application programmers, documentation specialists, configuration managers, software quality and assurance teams, and archival/records staff. Typical applications include internal developer documentation, handover packages for maintenance, software delivery dossiers and archival copies for regulated or institutional software projects following ESPD conventions.

Related standards

Part of the GOST 19 series (Unified system for program documentation). Closely related documents include GOST 19.101-77 (definitions and general provisions for program documentation), GOST 19.503-79 (System programmer's guide), GOST 19.505-79 (Operator's guide), GOST 19.506-79 (Language description), and GOST 19.507-79 (List of operational documentation). In international terms it addresses the same topic area as standards dealing with software user and developer documentation (for example, ISO/IEC standards on software documentation and related guidance).

Keywords

GOST 19.504-79; programmer's guide; program documentation; ESPD; Unified System for Program Documentation; software documentation; formatting; content requirements; USSR standard; Standartinform; ГОСТ 19

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: GOST 19.504-79 is an interstate technical standard that defines the required content and presentation for the "Programmer's guide" document within the Unified System for Program Documentation (ЕСПД).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the structure, mandatory and recommended sections, and formatting rules for a Programmer's Guide — including purpose, functional and algorithmic descriptions, data structures, interfaces, examples, error handling, citations and change history.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Software developers, system programmers, documentation writers, configuration managers and organizations that follow ESPD/GOST conventions when producing or archiving program documentation.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The standard was approved in January 1979 and introduced (commonly recorded) as effective from 01 January 1980. It received at least one amendment (1981) and is reproduced in later consolidated/reprint editions. Many standards catalogs still list it as a valid/interstate document; however, national practices and later international standards may supplement or replace parts of ESPD requirements in specific jurisdictions. Users should check the current status in the relevant national standards body if legal/regulatory currency is required.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is one element of the GOST 19 series (Unified System for Program Documentation), which defines the set of documentation items (programmer's guides, system programmer's guides, operator manuals, language descriptions, lists of operational documents, etc.).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Programmer's guide; program documentation; ESPD; software documentation; content requirements; formatting; GOST 19; Unified System for Program Documentation.