STACS 2026 will consist of two tracks, A and B. Track A focuses on algorithms, data structures, and complexity, while track B focuses on automata, logic, semantics, and theory of programming.
Authors are invited to submit papers presenting original and unpublished research on theoretical aspects of computer science. Topics covered by the tracks include, but are not limited to, the following:
Track A. Algorithms, Data Structures, and Complexity
Design of algorithms
Approximation algorithms
Online algorithms
Distributed/parallel algorithms
Parameterized algorithms
Randomized algorithms
Analysis of algorithms
Combinatorics of data structures
Computational geometry
Cryptography
Algorithms for machine learning
Algorithmic game theory
Quantum algorithms
Computational and structural complexity theory
Parameterized complexity
Randomness in computation
Track B. Automata, Logic, Semantics and Theory of Programming
Automata theory
Games and multi-agent systems
Algebraic and categorical methods
Models of computation
Concurrency
Timed systems
Finite model theory
Database theory
Semantics
Type systems
Program analysis
Specification and verification
Rewriting and deduction
Learning theory
Logical aspects of computability and complexity
Important Dates
Submission deadline: 25 September 2025, 23:59 AoE
Rebuttal: 17-21 November 2025
Notification: 12 December 2025
Conference: 10-13 March 2026
Submissions
Format of submissions
Submissions should be made through EasyChair at https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=stacs2026
Authors are invited to submit an extended abstract or a full paper with at most 15 pages; this page limit excludes the title page, the references section, and a possible appendix. The title page should contain the title of the paper and the abstract, but no author information. The first section of the paper should start on the next page, and the appendix, if any, should also start on the next page after the bibliography.
In preparation of submissions, the usage of the LIPIcs style file is mandatory; no changes to font size, page geometry, etc. are permitted. Please refer to LIPIcs author instructions. Submissions submitted after the deadline will not be considered, and submissions not adhering to the expected format risk rejection without consideration of the content.
Submissions should be made to appropriate tracks. The PCs reserve the right to reassign a paper to a different track, if deemed necessary.
The extended abstract should contain a succinct statement of the considered issues and of their motivation, a summary of the main results, and a brief explanation of their significance, accessible to non-specialist readers. This should be followed by a rigorous derivation of the claimed results. Proofs omitted due to space constraints should be put into an appendix, to be read by the program committee members at their discretion. It is allowed and encouraged to provide the anonymized full version of the paper as the appendix.
Simultaneous submission to other conferences with published proceedings or to journals is not allowed. PC members are allowed to submit their works as well, except for PC chairs.
Double-blind reviewing
As in the previous years, STACS 2025 will employ a lightweight double-blind reviewing process: submissions should not reveal the identity of the authors in any way. The purpose of the double-blind reviewing is to help PC members and external reviewers come to an initial judgment about the paper without bias, not to make it impossible for them to discover the authors if they were to try. Nothing should be done in the name of anonymity that weakens the submission or makes the job of reviewing the paper more difficult. In particular, important references should not be omitted or anonymized. In addition, authors should feel free to disseminate their ideas or draft versions of their paper as they normally would. For example, authors may post drafts of their papers on the web, submit them to arXiv, and give talks on their research ideas.
Rebuttal
There will be a rebuttal period for authors. Authors will receive the reviews of their submissions and have a few days to prepare and submit rebuttals. These rebuttals become part of the PC discussions, but entail no specific responses. Rebuttals will be handled through EasyChair.
Conference
At least one author of each accepted paper is expected to register at the conference. For authors who cannot present their paper in person, a possibility for remote presentation will be offered.
**********************************************************
*
* Contributions to be spread via DMANET are submitted to
*
* DMANET@zpr.uni-koeln.de
*
* Replies to a message carried on DMANET should NOT be
* addressed to DMANET but to the original sender. The
* original sender, however, is invited to prepare an
* update of the replies received and to communicate it
* via DMANET.
*
* DISCRETE MATHEMATICS AND ALGORITHMS NETWORK (DMANET)
* http://www.zaik.uni-koeln.de/AFS/publications/dmanet/
*
**********************************************************