QCon London 2026, the international software development conference, will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre (QEII) from March 16–18, 2026, followed by a half-day workshop for the InfoQ Certified Software Architect certification on March 19.
The 2026 program features 15 curated tracks led by senior software practitioners. Among these are two tracks focused on the technical requirements for modern system integration and the operationalization of large language models (LLMs).
Connecting Systems: Prioritizing Fundamentals and the Model Context Protocol (MCP)
The Connecting Systems: APIs, Protocols, Observability track is hosted by Daniel Bryant, Platform Engineer, Java Champion, and InfoQ News Manager. The track addresses the ongoing requirement to manage connections within complex, distributed systems at the networking and architecture levels.
Bryant emphasizes that while new technologies such as AI-driven agents are increasing the volume of system connections, the engineering focus must remain on architectural fundamentals. “All too often, we get excited about the latest technologies when we really should focus on things like good API design, cohesion, coupling, and the single responsibility principle,” Bryant stated.
Technical sessions in this track will cover:
- Networking and API Design: Strategies for building maintainable interfaces and managing the networking layer.
- The Model Context Protocol (MCP): Evaluating how MCP facilitates communication between agentic systems and its broader application in API architecture.
- Observability: Practical implementations for understanding system behavior and diagnosing failures in real-time.
AI Engineering: From Non-Deterministic LLMs to Enterprise Reliability
The AI Engineering track, hosted by Hien Luu, Sr. Engineering Manager at Zoox, author of MLOps with Ray, and InfoQ Editor, focuses on the practices required to build and maintain production-ready machine learning systems.
The track moves away from experimental AI use cases to address the engineering challenge of converting non-deterministic outputs into consistent, enterprise-grade applications. Luu highlights the emergence of AI agents as a primary area of focus, noting the current gap between agent potential and production reliability.
Key areas of investigation include:
- Deployment and Scale: Techniques for maintaining intelligent applications in production environments.
- AI Agents: Patterns and methods for building reliable, autonomous agents that operate within enterprise constraints.
- Evaluation Frameworks: Strategies for assessing and validating the performance of AI-powered systems.
Additional 2026 Program Highlights
QCon London 2026 conference, which celebrates its 20th anniversary, includes 13 other tracks covering the breadth of senior software engineering concerns, including:
Core Engineering:
- Architectures You’ve Always Wondered About
- Debugging Distributed Systems, and
- Modern Performance Optimization.
Emerging Tech:
- Native Languages and Wasm,
- Architecture in the Age of AI, and
- State of the Art Data Architectures.
Leadership and Operations:
- The Long Game: Staff+ Engineering Agency,
- Organizations in Flux (AI’s Impact on Teams), and
- Building Engineering Teams.
Specialized Domains:
- Tech of the Finance Industry,
- Modern Software Security & Risk Management, and
- Emerging Trends in Frontend and Mobile.
QCon London 2026 sessions are peer-selected and delivered by practitioners sharing lessons from real-world implementations.
- Dates: March 16–18 (Conference); March 19 (InfoQ Certified Architect Program workshop).
- Venue: Queen Elizabeth II Centre (QEII), London.
- Format: Track sessions, unconferences, and peer-to-peer discussions.
Registration is currently open, with the full schedule of 75+ speakers being finalized. Information on the InfoQ Certified Software Architect in Emerging Technologies (ICSAET) credential can also be found on the official site.
