Call for papers, Advances and Applications in Search-Based Software Engineering

Search-Based Software Engineering (SBSE) is a dynamic research field that reformulates software engineering problems as search problems, leveraging optimization techniques to address challenges across the software development lifecycle. By applying computational intelligence methods—ranging from metaheuristics like evolutionary algorithms and simulated annealing to exact optimization techniques—SBSE enables effective and efficient solutions to complex software engineering tasks.

This special issue aims to showcase recent advances in SBSE, highlighting innovative applications, theoretical contributions, empirical evaluations, and industrial experiences. The issue will explore how SBSE intersects with emerging trends in AI, machine learning, and automation, pushing the boundaries of software engineering research and practice.

We invite submissions of high-quality original research papers addressing topics including (but not limited to):

  • Innovative Applications of SBSE: Applying SBSE techniques to novel or underexplored areas of software engineering, such as security, sustainability, or AI-driven systems.
  • Theoretical Analyses: Advancing the understanding of search algorithms tailored for software engineering problems, including multi-objective optimization and robustness analysis.
  • Empirical Evaluations: Rigorous experimental studies demonstrating the effectiveness and scalability of SBSE methods, with reproducible datasets and benchmarks.
  • Industrial Experiences: Reports detailing real-world applications of SBSE in industry, including lessons learned and challenges encountered

Special Invitation for SSBSE 2025 Papers

Authors of well-reviewed papers from the 17th Symposium on Search-Based Software Engineering (SSBSE 2025), held in Seoul in November 2025, are especially encouraged to submit extended versions of their work. To ensure substantial contributions beyond the conference version, submissions must meet the following criteria:

  • Revised Title: A distinct title differentiating the journal submission from the conference paper.
  • New Content: At least 30% novel material (e.g., expanded experiments, additional theoretical insights, or new applications).
  • Clear Discussion: A detailed explanation of how the journal version builds upon the original conference paper.

Deadline

Submission Opens: December 1, 2025

Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026

How to Submit

Submissions should conform to the journal’s formatting requirements and will undergo rigorous peer review. Authors are encouraged to include supplementary materials (e.g., datasets or experimental results) to enhance reproducibility.

Further details on submission deadlines and procedures will be announced soon.

Editor

Guest editor list:

  • Man Zhang (manzhang@buaa.edu.cn)

  • Markus Wagner (markus.wagner@monash.edu)

  • Shin Hong (hongshin@gmail.com)