Overview
QCon San Francisco 2026 is a premier international software development conference designed for senior software engineers, software architects, and engineering leaders. The event spans five days from November 16 to November 20, 2026, in San Francisco, with conference days and optional training days. The program is curated by an international committee and focuses on real-world patterns and practices rather than product pitches. Attendees will gain actionable insights into AI systems, architecture, leadership, and culture from practitioners who are shipping solutions in production. The venue is the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, located on the Embarcadero, with convenient access to the city’s attractions.
Tracks and agenda
The conference features 12 curated tracks across three main days, highlighting topics such as architecting AI systems, agent orchestration, evals and guardrails, modern API design, resilience engineering, distributed systems, platform engineering, and staff+ engineering. Each track presents multi-session stories from 60+ senior practitioners, including patterns, lessons from production systems, and architectural decisions that have withstood real-world pressures. In addition to the main tracks, there are sessions focusing on data platforms, engineering developer experience, and engineering for AI systems. There are also two optional training days (Nov 19–20) covering hands-on topics like building AI agents, AI-assisted coding, and engineering the developer experience.
Speakers and program
QCon SF 2026 brings together a broad roster of industry leaders, engineers, and researchers. Notable topics include:
- Architecting for agents and loop based systems
- Guardrails, safety nets, and eval frameworks for AI systems
- Modern API design tailored for humans and agents
- Resilience engineering and production reliability
- Data platforms reimagined for real-time and AI workloads
- Staff+ engineering skills and organizational patterns The program includes presentations from principal engineers and senior leaders from companies known for large-scale systems, as well as instructors and track hosts who facilitate deep dives into each topic. The event emphasizes practical takeaways, with sessions, workshops, and hands-on trainings designed to yield concrete patterns that attendees can apply at work.
Format and experience
The conference is a multi-track, in-person event with optional training days. Sessions are selected for depth and relevance, with an emphasis on real-world production experience over vendor pitches. Attendees can expect a mix of talks, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops, plus opportunities for networking and peer conversations. The experience is designed to promote learning through example and to provide attendees with patterns and decision criteria that they can bring back to their teams.
Venue and logistics
The Hyatt Regency San Francisco serves as the venue, offering waterfront views and convenient access to local attractions. The event includes on-site registration, conference sessions, and training sessions, along with networking opportunities and social events. Early bird and standard registration options are available, with pricing tiers aligned to the duration and level of access. The program includes details on tracks, sessions, and speakers, as well as logistics for travel and accommodations in San Francisco.
Who should attend
This conference is intended for senior software engineers, software architects, staff+ engineers, and engineering leaders who are responsible for architecture, AI systems, platform engineering, and delivering reliable software at scale. It is designed to help attendees learn proven patterns, assess trade-offs, and gain practical guidance for implementing AI and distributed systems in production. Attendees should expect to leave with actionable patterns, examples, and a concrete sense of how successful teams navigate the complexities of modern software engineering.
