The Gerber Format Specification - FrontDoor

The Gerber Format Specification
Scope of the Document
This specification describes a digital format for representing a bi-level image. The specification
is intended for the developers of the software that reads and writes Gerber files as well as for
user of such software.
The document does not specify the following:
Specific physical methods of storing Gerber files
User interface or implementation details of rendering Gerber files
Designs of the software being created for handling Gerber files
Required computer hardware or operating system
Conformance
A Gerber file must follow all requirements of the specification. However, there is no obligation to
use any feature other than those explicitly needed.
If a Gerber file violates any requirements of the specification or contains invalid parts then the
file is wholly invalid. An invalid Gerber file is meaningless and does not represent an image. A
Gerber file reader may produce an image for an invalid file, as a diagnostic help, or to help the
user by guessing what the intended image may be, or because the invalidity was not detected,
but this image is never the representation of the file; and as such it is neither right nor wrong.
If the interpretation of a construct is not specified and there is more than one possible
interpretation then the construct is invalid and must not be used.
Some elements of the format are deprecated. Gerber writers (creators of Gerber files) must no
longer generate them. However such elements may still be present in legacy files. It is up to a
Gerber reader (consumer of Gerber files) to implement their handling or not.
References
American National Standard for Information Systems — Coded Character Sets — 7-Bit
American National Standard Code for Information Interchange (7-Bit ASCII), ANSI X3.4-1986
Bible, Mark 7:35
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