# A set of rules of how a particular interoperability or standards problem is solved

A set of rules of how a particular interoperability or standards problem is solved - typically through the use of FHIR resources. This resource is used to gather all the parts of an implementation guide into a logical whole and to publish a computable definition of all the parts.

## Elements  
| Name      | Required | Type   | Description |
|-----------|----------|--------|-------------|
| url       | ✓        | uri    | Canonical identifier for this implementation guide, represented as a URI (globally unique). This SHOULD be globally unique and SHOULD be a literal address at which an authoritative instance of this implementation guide is published. |
| version    |          | string | Business version of the implementation guide. This is an arbitrary value managed by the implementation guide author and is not expected to be globally unique. |
| name      | ✓        | string | Name for this implementation guide (computer friendly). A natural language name identifying the implementation guide. |
| title     |          | string | Name for this implementation guide (human friendly). A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the implementation guide. |
| status    | ✓        | code   | draft  active  retired  unknown. Enables tracking the life-cycle of the content. |
| experimental |       | boolean | For testing purposes, not real usage. A Boolean value to indicate that this implementation guide is authored for testing purposes. |
| date      |          | dateTime | Date last changed. The date when the implementation guide was published. |
| publisher |          | string | Name of the publisher (organization or individual). |
| contact   |          | [ContactDetail](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/contactdetail/index.html)[] | Contact details for the publisher. |
| description |        | markdown | Natural language description of the implementation guide. |
| useContext |        | [UsageContext](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/usagecontext/index.html)[] | The context that the content is intended to support. |
| jurisdiction |      | [CodeableConcept](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/codeableconcept/index.html)[] | Intended jurisdiction for implementation guide (if applicable). |
| copyright |           | markdown | Use and/or publishing restrictions. |
| packageId | ✓         | id     | NPM Package name for IG. |
| license   |           | code   | SPDX license code for this IG (or not-open-source). |
| fhirVersion | ✓       | code[] | FHIR Version(s) this Implementation Guide targets. |
| dependsOn |           | ImplementationGuideDependsOn[] | Another Implementation guide this depends on. |
| id        |           | string | Unique id for inter-element referencing. |
| extension |           | [Extension](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/extension/index.html)[] | Additional content defined by implementations. |
| modifierExtension |   | [Extension](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/extension/index.html)[] | Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized. |
| uri       | ✓         | canonical | Identity of the IG that this depends on. |
| packageId |           | id    | NPM Package name for IG this depends on. |
| version   |           | string | Version of the IG. |
| global    |           | ImplementationGuideGlobal[] | Profiles that apply globally. |

## Search Parameters  
| Name | Type   | Description | Expression |
|------|--------|-------------|-------------|
| context | token | A use context assigned to the implementation guide | ImplementationGuide.useContext.value.ofType(CodeableConcept) |
| date | date   | The implementation guide publication date | ImplementationGuide.date |

## Inherited Elements  
| Name | Required | Type   | Description |
|------|----------|--------|-------------|
| id |          | string | Logical id of this artifact. |
| meta |        | [Meta](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/meta/index.html) | Metadata about the resource. |
| text |          | [Narrative](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/narrative/index.html) | Text summary of the resource, for human interpretation. |

An implementation guide (IG) is a set of rules about how FHIR resources are used (or should be used) to solve a particular problem, with associated documentation to support and clarify the usage. Classically, FHIR implementation guides are published on the web after they are generated.