KCDC 2026 Track Descriptions

Our conference contains 15 different tracks, ensuring there’s content at KCDC for every part of the your development team.


Every year we get questions about what kind of content belongs in which track. We’ve captured our expectations here for your reference! If you have any questions beyond tracks, be sure to check out our Content FAQ page. Once you’re done reading, be sure to go back to our CFP!

  • Primary Audience: Data scientists, machine learning engineers, and AI researchers

    Description: This track focuses on cutting-edge AI and data science applications. Talks should cover advanced machine learning algorithms, solutions using generative AI, and real-world AI implementations. Emphasis should be on practical applications and overcoming challenges in production environments.

  • Primary Audience: Developers, tech leads, and managers

    Description: This track explores agentic AI workflows that accelerate and augment software development. Sessions should cover practical integration of AI agents into planning, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance; patterns for reliable orchestration and tooling and strategies for aligning AI workflow outputs with team and product goals.

  • Primary Audience: Senior developers, architects, and technical leads

    Description: Explore sophisticated architectural approaches for building resilient, scalable, and future-proof systems. Presentations should cover advanced design patterns, microservices orchestration, event-driven architectures, and strategies for managing complex distributed systems.

  • Primary Audience: Cloud architects, DevOps engineers, and senior developers

    Description: This track showcases advanced cloud-native development, serverless architectures, and complex problem-solving using AWS, Azure, and GCP. Talks should focus on real-world applications, performance optimization, and innovative uses of cloud technologies in enterprise environments.

  • Primary Audience: Data engineers, application developers, and database administrators

    Description: This track focuses on managing data effectively for applications across various styles of data storage and retrieval. Presentations should cover topics such as data modeling, database optimization techniques, data integration strategies, and best practices for handling structured and unstructured data in modern applications.

  • Primary Audience: DevOps engineers, SREs, and platform engineers

    Description: Explore advanced DevOps practices, tools, and methodologies. Presentations should cover sophisticated CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code, advanced monitoring and observability, and strategies for managing large-scale complex deployments.

    NOTE: This track is applicable only to KCDC DevOps Tracks, see below for more info on DevOpsDaysKC Focus Session

  • Primary Audience: Senior JavaScript developers, Front-end architects

    Description:
    This track focuses on building user-facing applications on the web. Sessions should cover HTML, CSS, and JavaScript topics and advanced techniques. Topics may include modern frameworks and tooling, performance, accessibility, cross-browser compatibility, and maintainable front-end architecture.

  • Primary Audience: Tech leads, managers, and senior developers

    Description: This track focuses on advanced interpersonal and leadership skills crucial for making technology teams successful. Topics may include managing diverse teams, navigating complex organizational structures, advanced conflict resolution, and strategies for driving innovation and change.

  • Primary Audience: Experienced Java developers and architects

    Description: This track focuses on advanced Java development techniques, the latest JVM features, and innovative uses of Java in enterprise environments. Presentations should cover performance optimization, advanced concurrency models, and integration with modern architectures.

  • Primary Audience: Project managers, Scrum masters, and tech leads

    Description: This track focuses on advanced project management methodologies and process optimization techniques. Presentations should cover innovative approaches to Agile at scale, metrics-driven process improvement strategies, and managing complex multi-team projects.

  • Primary Audience: Experienced .NET developers and architects

    Description: This track focuses on advanced .NET-specific tools, patterns, and practices. Talks should highlight cutting-edge techniques, performance optimization, and innovative approaches within the .NET ecosystem. Topics may include the latest framework features, advanced debugging, and integration with emerging technologies.

  • Primary Audience: Polyglot programmers and language enthusiasts

    Description: Explore advanced features and applications of emerging or niche programming languages. Talks should focus on solving complex problems using unique language features or cross-language interoperability.

  • Primary Audience: Security engineers, penetration testers, and DevSecOps professionals

    Description: This track covers advanced security concepts including threat modeling and innovative security practices. Presentations should focus on cutting-edge security tools, advanced encryption techniques, and strategies for securing complex distributed systems.

  • Primary Audience: Senior QA engineers, test automation specialists, and quality architects

    Description: This track focuses on advanced testing methodologies along with innovative QA processes. Presentations should cover topics like performance testing at scale, strategies for ensuring quality in complex distributed systems, and AI-driven testing techniques.

  • Primary Audience: Senior UX designers, product managers, and creative technologists

    Description: This track explores advanced UI/UX concepts, product design, and design systems. Talks should address solving real user problems, evaluating design quality, aligning design with product and business goals, and emerging approaches to human-centered design across platforms.