n.

1. 1. The act or an instance of the supplying of documents or supporting references or records.
   2. The documents or references so supplied.
2. The collation, synopsizing, and coding of printed material for future reference.
3. Computer Science. The organized collection of records that describe the structure, purpose, operation, maintenance, and data requirements for a computer program, operating system, or hardware device.

documentational doc'u·men·ta'tion·al adj.

The narrative and graphical description of a system. Following are the kinds of documentation required to describe an information system for both users and systems staff. See self-documenting code, technical writer and RTFM.

Operating Procedures

1. Instructions for turning the system on and getting the programs initiated (loaded).

2. Instructions for obtaining source documents for data entry.

3. Instructions for entering data at the terminal, which includes a picture of each screen layout the user will encounter.

4. A description of error messages that can occur and the alternative methods for handling them.

5. A description of the defaults taken in the programs and the instructions for changing them.

6. Instructions for distributing the computer's output, which includes sample pages for each type of report.

System Documentation

1. Data dictionary - Description of the files and databases.

2. System flow chart - Description of the data as it flows from source document to report.

3. Application program documentation - Description of the inputs, processing and outputs for each data entry, query, update and report program in the system.

Technical Documentation

1. File structures and access methods

2. Program flow charts

3. Program source code listings

4. Machine procedures (JCL)

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Written description of a Computer Program. It falls into several categories: (1) internal documentation, consisting of comments within the program; (2) on-line documentation, displayed as the program runs or called up with a Command such as Help; (3) reference cards, containing easily forgotten details for quick reference; (4) reference manuals, setting out complete instructions for the program in a systematic way; and (5) tutorials, serving as introduction for new users.

The multiple kilograms of macerated, pounded, steamed, bleached, and pressed trees that accompany most modern software or hardware products (see also tree-killer). Hackers seldom read paper documentation and (too) often resist writing it; they prefer theirs to be terse and on-line. A common comment on this predilection is “You can't grep dead trees”. See drool-proof paper, verbiage, treeware.

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n

The permanent recording of information properly identified as to time, place, circumstances, and attribution.

IN BRIEF: Proof in the form of written information.

The winners of the trial provided the best documentation.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - dokumentation, dokumentationsmateriale, programbeskrivelse, manual

Nederlands (Dutch)
bewijsmateriaal, documentatie

Français (French)
n. - documentation, (Comm) documents (à fournir)

Deutsch (German)
n. - Dokumentation, dokumentarischer Beleg

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - τεκμηρίωση

Italiano (Italian)
documentazione

Português (Portuguese)
n. - documentação (f)

Русский (Russian)
документация

Español (Spanish)
n. - documentación

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - dokumentation

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
文件

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 文件

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 문서 조사, 증거가 되는 자료

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 文書調べ, 証拠書類, ドキュメンテーション

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) التوثيق, التزويد أو الدعم بالوثائق, الاستناد الى الوثائق التاريخيه ( في عمل شئ)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תיעוד, מסמכים, הוראות והגדרות בתוך תוכנית מחשב‬

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