Method for paper-free programming and commissioning of a control unit for a train protection component of a railway protection installation, such as a MiniLEU S11, an LEU S21 and an MSTT Signal for a train protection component, for example, such as an ETCS Eurobalise, an ETCS Euroloop, a signal, a set of points, for example, comprising the following steps: a) providing checking-relevant data by means of a project planning tool for a programming tool, wherein the checking-relevant data comprises the control data for the train protection component, a template in PDF format for a checking protocol and encrypted setpoint values, which are embedded as metadata in the template for the checking protocol, of checksums for control of the correct loading of the control data on the control unit and/or for checking the completeness of the commissioning; b) programming the control unit by way of the programming tool with the control data provided by the project planning tool; c) calculating and transferring actual checksums for the programmed control data from the control unit to the programming tool; d) encrypting and comparing the calculated actual checksums with the encrypted setpoint values for the checksums, by using these setpoint values from the metadata of the checking protocol template, to provide acknowledgement options of the checksum comparison on the programming tool; e) presenting the result of the comparison on the programming tool and acknowledging a match between the calculated checksums and the encrypted setpoint values for the checksums by way of a checker, f) creating the checking protocol in PDF format on the basis of the template for the checking protocol delivered by the project planning tool in PDF format, with embedding of the identity of the checker as well as of the calculated checksums in the printable region of the checking protocol and additionally embedding of said information in the metadata of the checking protocol by way of the programming tool; and g) transferring the checking protocol, including all data embedded therein, from the programming tool to a database and archiving the checking protocol in the database. a) providing checking-relevant data by means of a project planning tool for a programming tool, wherein the checking-relevant data comprises the control data for the train protection component, a template in PDF format for a checking protocol and encrypted setpoint values, which are embedded as metadata in the template for the checking protocol, of checksums for control of the correct loading of the control data on the control unit and/or for checking the completeness of the commissioning; b) programming the control unit by way of the programming tool with the control data provided by the project planning tool; c) calculating and transferring actual checksums for the programmed control data from the control unit to the programming tool; d) encrypting and comparing the calculated actual checksums with the encrypted setpoint values for the checksums, by using these setpoint values from the metadata of the checking protocol template, to provide acknowledgement options of the checksum comparison on the programming tool; e) presenting the result of the comparison on the programming tool and acknowledging a match between the calculated checksums and the encrypted setpoint values for the checksums by way of a checker, f) creating the checking protocol in PDF format on the basis of the template for the checking protocol delivered by the project planning tool in PDF format, with embedding of the identity of the checker as well as of the calculated checksums in the printable region of the checking protocol and additionally embedding of said information in the metadata of the checking protocol by way of the programming tool; and g) transferring the checking protocol, including all data embedded therein, from the programming tool to a database and archiving the checking protocol in the database.