Gymnastics Explained

D-score

The difficulty score: the value of the skills performed plus credit for composition and connections. It has no upper limit.

The D-score is one half of every gymnastics score. It measures what a gymnast attempted, independently of how well it was performed, and is set by two D-judges who record every skill and agree the score together.

How it’s built under the 2025–2028 Codes of Points:

  • Women (bars, beam, floor): the eight highest difficulty values, including the dismount, plus up to 2.00 for composition requirements, plus connection value and bonuses.
  • Men (floor, pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, horizontal bar): the best seven skills plus the dismount, with no more than four from any one element group, plus element-group credit, connection points on some apparatus and a stick bonus.
  • Vault: simply the published value of the vault performed.

The women’s Code’s own example: eight skills worth 3.10, plus 2.00 for composition requirements, plus 0.60 connection value, gives a D-score of 5.70.

Because a gymnast can always attempt harder skills, the D-score has no fixed maximum. Coaches can challenge a D-score through a formal inquiry.

Related guides

  • What Is a D-Score in Gymnastics?

    The D-score reflects what a gymnast attempted: the value of their skills, whether composition requirements are met, and, on some apparatus, bonus for connecting skills together.

  • How Gymnastics Scoring Works

    Final score normally combines a difficulty score and an execution score, then applies any neutral deductions.

Related terms

  • E-score

    The execution score: it starts at 10.00 and is reduced by deductions for faults in technique, form, landings and, in women's gymnastics, artistry.

  • Difficulty value

    The value the Code of Points gives each skill, written as a letter from A (0.1) to J (1.0). Vaults have numerical values instead.

  • Composition requirement

    In women's gymnastics, one of four required skill types on bars, beam and floor, each worth 0.50 towards the D-score.

  • Element group

    In men's gymnastics, one of the families of skills each apparatus is divided into. A routine must include skills from every group to earn full credit.

Sources