Theoretical Computer Science is mathematical and abstract in spirit, but it derives its motivation from practical and everyday computation. Its aim is to understand the nature of computation and, as a consequence of this understanding, provide more efficient methodologies. All papers introducing or studying mathematical, logic and formal concepts and methods are welcome, provided that their motivation is clearly drawn from the field of computing.

Any queries about submissions and peer review should be addressed to the TCS editorial office: tcs@elsevier.com.

Papers published in Theoretical Computer Science are grouped in three sections according to their nature. The first section `Algorithms, automata, complexity and games' is devoted to the study of algorithms and their complexity using analytical, combinatorial or probabilistic methods. It includes the whole field of abstract complexity (i.e. all the results about the hierarchies that can be defined using Turing machines), the whole field of automata and language theory (including automata on infinite words and infinitary languages), the whole field of geometrical (graphic) applications and the whole field of measurement of system performance using statistical methods.

The second section,`Logic, semantics and theory of programming', is devoted to formal methods to check properties of programs or implement formally described languages; it contains all papers dealing with semantics of sequential and parallel programming languages. All formal methods treating these problems are published in this section, including rewriting techniques, abstract data types, automatic theorem proving, calculi such as SCP or CCS, Petri nets, new logic calculi and developments in categorical methods.

The third section, 'Natural Computing', is devoted to the study of computing occurring in nature and computing inspired by nature. In the rapidly evolving field of computer science, natural computing plays an important role as the catalyst for the synergy of human designed computing with the computing going on in nature. This synergy leads to a deeper and broader understanding of the nature of computation. Although natural computing is concerned also with experiments and applications, this section of Theoretical Computer Science is focused on the theoretical aspects of natural computing with clear relevance to computing. Among others, it will contain papers dealing with the theoretical issues in evolutionary computing, neural networks, molecular computing, and quantum computing.

Theoretical Computer Science will now publish high-quality advanced introductions. Advanced introductions, which are by invitation only, should cover a focused topic within the scope of TCS at a level that would be appropriate for a scientist who is new to the topic and wishes to gain an up-to-date understanding. Articles should be self-contained, including motivation and basic definitions, and proceed to advanced material and/or open problems which may - but need not - include new results. Sufficient references should be given to provide the reader with entry points to the research literature on the topic as well as the origins of the main ideas. Submissions will go through the standard review process of TCS.

Special Issue on Analysis of Algorithms 2024
Submission Date: 2025-03-31

Guest editors:

Dr. Cécile Mailler,
Reader in Probability, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK

Research interests:

    branching processes, random trees​
    reinforcement, Pólya urns and stochastic approximation
    random networks, preferential attachment
    statistical physics: zero-range model, preferential attachment
    satisfiability, random Boolean trees and analytic combinatorics

Prof. Sebastian Wild,
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany

Research interests:

    Analysis of algorithms​
    algorithm science
    adaptive algorithms
    sorting algorithms
    Space-efficient data structures
    computing over compressed data

Special issue information:

Analysis of algorithms (AofA) is a scientific basis for quantifying the efficiency of computation, providing a link between abstract algorithms and the performance characteristics of their implementations in the real world. The general effort to predict precisely the performance of algorithms and data structures – the amount of time, storage, or other resources needed – has produced mathematical methods of sweeping generality that unify and simplify making such predictions in a rigorous way, as well as software tools supporting their application. In enabling this progress, AofA has come to involve research in analytic combinatorics, the analysis of random discrete structures, asymptotic analysis, exact and limiting distributions, and other fields of inquiry in computer science, probability theory, and enumerative combinatorics.

AofA is a thriving community at the intersection of computer science and mathematics, with regular events and a strong community organization. For more details see the AofA community websites: https://www.math.aau.at/AofA/; especially also the page on past events and special issues of journals: https://www.math.aau.at/AofA/resources/.

The Call for Papers aims at outstanding contributions in

    analytic algorithmics and combinatorics
    probabilistic analysis of algorithms, and
    randomized algorithms.

We also welcome papers addressing problems such as:

    combinatorial algorithms,
    string searching and pattern matching,
    sublinear algorithms on massive data sets,
    network algorithms,
    graph algorithms,
    caching and memory hierarchies,
    indexing,
    data mining,
    data compression,
    coding and information theory, and
    computational finance.

Papers addressing bridges to research in related fields such as statistical physics, computational biology, computational geometry, and simulation will be considered.

Special Issue on The 20th and 21th International Conferences on Distributed Computing and Intelligent Technology
Submission Date: 2025-11-01

Guest editors:

Quentin Bramas, 
Associate Professor at the University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

Stéphane Devismes,
Professor at University of Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France

Partha Sarathi Mandal, 
Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, North Guwahati, India
Krishnendu Mukhopadhyaya,
Professor at Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India 

Special issue information:

The special issue contains a selection of papers presented in the DC track at the 20th and 21th International Conference on Distributed Computing and Intelligent Technology (ICDCIT 2024 and 2025). ICDCIT 2024 was held on January 17-20, 2024 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India and ICDCIT 2025 will be held on January 8-11, 2025 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. ICDCIT aims to bring together a wide range of researchers to exchange research results and ideas on the foundations and application of distributed computing and intelligent technology. The main themes of the DC track of the conference are:

    Autonomous Computing, Self-organization, and Self-stabilization
    Distributed Graph Algorithms
    Fault-tolerant Algorithms
    Game-Theoretic Approaches to Distributed Computing
    Mobile Robots, Autonomous Agents,
    Programmable Particles, Nanoscale Robots.

The authors of the selected papers as well as keynote/invited/distinguished speakers of the ICDCIT conference will be the contributors to the special issue.