In artistic gymnastics scoring, the difficulty score is called the D-score.
The D-score measures the technical content of a routine. It is built from credited skills, composition requirements and, where applicable, connection value. The execution panel then produces the E-score, which reflects form, landings, body positions and other visible errors. The final mark combines these components, subject to neutral deductions.
The modern D-and-E system replaced the old expectation that elite routines were judged against a universal perfect 10.0. Since the 2006 Code of Points, gymnasts can raise the difficulty portion by performing harder elements and valuable combinations, although difficult routines can still lose heavily through execution mistakes.
The letter D can also cause confusion because individual skills receive letter ratings such as A, B, C or D. In that context, a D-rated element has a particular difficulty value; the D-score is the broader total for the routine. On vault, the D-score is the listed difficulty value of the vault itself.