Day of the Programmer (Russia)2026 · Date · History · Messages
Russian Presidential Decree No. 1034 established Day of the Programmer on the 256th day of the year: September 13, or September 12 in leap years.
About Day of the Programmer (Russia)
Day of the Programmer is a professional observance in the Russian Federation held on the 256th day of each year.
Under the establishing decree, that is September 13 in common years and September 12 in leap years.
Why Day of the Programmer (Russia) matters
The day recognizes programmers and the profession of software development.
The establishing rule is mathematical rather than a fixed calendar date: the decree specifies the 256th day of the year.
History of Day of the Programmer (Russia)
On 11 September 2009, the President of the Russian Federation signed Decree No. 1034 establishing Day of the Programmer.
The decree fixes the observance on the 256th day of the year, producing September 13 normally and September 12 in leap years.
The reviewed official material does not state the first actual celebration, so the guide does not infer one.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
Programmers Day
How to Observe Day of the Programmer (Russia)
Recognize programmers and software professionals.
Use the day for coding education, mentoring or community events.
Learn how the 256th-day recurrence rule changes in leap years.
Keep the legal observance separate from informal programmer-day traditions elsewhere.
Day of the Programmer (Russia) Facts
The observance was established by Presidential Decree No. 1034.
The decree is dated 11 September 2009.
It uses the 256th day of the year rather than a permanently fixed month/day.
That means September 13 in common years and September 12 in leap years.
The official source reviewed does not establish the first actual observance.
Day of the Programmer (Russia) Messages
Celebrating the people who turn ideas into working software on Day of the Programmer.
Wishing programmers a rewarding day of problem-solving, learning and building.
May the 256th day of the year recognize the skill and persistence behind software development.
Happy Day of the Programmer to developers, engineers, educators and learners.
Celebrating code, creativity and the people who make digital systems work.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library — Decree No. 1034 (opens in a new tab)
Presidential Library
Garant — Presidential Decree No. 1034 text (opens in a new tab)
Legal Database
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Day of the Programmer (Russia)?
256th day of the year — 13 September, or 12 September in leap years The documented recurrence rule is: 256th day of the year: 13 September; 12 September in leap years.
Does Day of the Programmer (Russia) fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is Day of the Programmer (Russia) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Russia / official professional holiday. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Day of the Programmer (Russia)?
The reviewed sources identify President of the Russian Federation as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is Day of the Programmer (Russia) international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Russia. Its fuller verified scope is: Russia / official professional holiday.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is Day of the Programmer in Russia?
It is the 256th day of the year: September 13 in common years and September 12 in leap years.
When was it established?
Presidential Decree No. 1034, dated September 11, 2009, established the observance.
Why does the date move in leap years?
Because the decree defines the day as the 256th day of the year rather than by a fixed month-and-day date.