ISO/IEC TR 10176:2003（E）为编程语言标准的编制提供了指南。 编程语言标准由许多国家的许多委员会制定，许多不同的编辑支持这项工作。因此，ISO认为有必要制定指南，使这些标准至少涵盖以下主题: 一致的术语 一致结构 语法和语义 错误和异常处理 期权条款 源程序的演示 处理器依赖性 功能标准的约束策略 一致性定义 国际化和支持多种语言 文化习俗相关功能 对标识符使用扩展字符集 用户文档 随着通用字符集ISO/IEC 10646的不断增加，需要及时更新ISO/IEC TR 10176，以便在编程语言中使用本地脚本和字符。ISO/IEC TR 10176:2003的附录A提供了这样一个扩展的字符集合，建议在编程语言中使用。

ISO/IEC TR 10176:2003(E) provides guidelines for the preparation of Programming Language Standards. Standards for programming languages are developed by many committees from many countries, with many different editors supporting the effort. ISO thus considered it necessary to develop guidelines so that these standards cover at least the following subjects: Consistent terminology Consistent structure Syntax and semantics Error and exception handling Provisions of options Presentation of source programs Processor dependences Binding strategies to functional standards Conformance definition Internationalization and support of multiple languages Cultural convention related functionality Use of expanded character repertoire for identifiers User documentation The constant additions to ISO/IEC 10646, the Universal character set, necessitate timely updates of ISO/IEC TR 10176 to allow the use of local scripts and characters in programming languages. Annex A of ISO/IEC TR 10176:2003 provides such an expanded collection of characters, recommended for use in programming languages.