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HotNets is the ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks: a small workshop for early-stage computer-networking ideas, with six-page blind-reviewed papers published in the ACM Digital Library. This guide explains what the venue is, what its call for papers (CFP) requires, and how to find the program, papers and CFP for a given year. Facts about the 2025 edition come from its CFP, read 2026-11-07.
What HotNets is
HotNets is an annual ACM workshop. Its 2025 edition was the “Twenty-Fourth ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks”, held 17-18 November 2025 in College Park, Maryland, USA. The CFP says HotNets “takes a broad view of networking research”, covering mobile, wide-area, data-center, home and enterprise networks, plus social networks and network architecture, with topics such as security, privacy, verification, measurement and machine learning. The workshop’s own index page (conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets) describes a series created in 2002 for early-stage, creative networking research and position papers, intended to complement full conferences such as SIGCOMM. For another systems and networking venue family, see the USENIX guide.
How a HotNets paper differs from a full conference paper
- Length: no more than 6 pages excluding references, 10 point font, two-column ACM proceedings format; appendices are not allowed.
- Purpose: the CFP selects on originality, likelihood to spark insightful discussion, and technical merit, not on a complete evaluation.
- Review: the program committee runs an initial fast round that leads to early rejection or advancement to fuller review.
- Audience: in-person attendance is limited to roughly 90 people, and presentations must be given in person.
Submission and format checklist (2025 CFP)
| Requirement | What the 2025 CFP states |
|---|---|
| Page limit | No more than 6 pages, excluding references, 10 point font |
| Template | Two-column ACM proceedings format using the provided LaTeX template; do not alter acmart.cls or its settings to gain space |
| File | PDF, in English, US Letter paper |
| Anonymity | Blind: no author names or affiliations in the paper |
| References | No page limit; list all authors (no “et al.”); numeric citation style |
| Figures and tables | Must stay legible in grayscale |
| Appendices | Not allowed |
| Concurrent submission | Submitting the same work to another peer-reviewed venue whose review period overlaps leads to immediate rejection |
| Ethics | Authors attest to institutional ethical standards; institutional ethics approval is “necessary, but not sufficient”, and the committee may hold its own ethics discussion |
Format details can change between editions, so use the CFP of the year you target. For ACM template mechanics see the ACM CCS Concepts and acmart guide.
Dates and outcomes for the 2025 edition
- Paper deadline: 9 July 2025, 23:59 AoE (the CFP shows an earlier 1 July date struck through).
- Author notification: 17 September 2025.
- Acceptance: the HotNets 2025 submission site reports “50 of 178 submissions accepted” (read 2026-11-07).
- Publication: accepted papers are posted online before the workshop and published in the ACM Digital Library.
Past editions and where to find programs and papers
Each edition has its own pages, so a search for a year returns that year’s material rather than a general description.
- CFP and program: conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets/<year>, for example the 2025 CFP at conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets/2025/cfp.html.
- Submission and review site: the edition’s HotCRP instance, for 2025 hotnets25.hotcrp.com.
- Published papers: the ACM Digital Library proceedings, and the dblp listing for the workshop.
- Early history: the workshop index lists the first edition (HotNets-I, 2002, Princeton, NJ) and later ones such as 2005 in College Park and 2008 in Calgary.
For how workshop papers sit alongside journal work in computing, read conference versus journal authorship credit in computer science.
FAQ
Is there a HotNets 2026, and who are its chairs and accepted papers?
Dates, chairs and accepted papers belong to each edition’s own pages, so this guide does not state them for 2026. The program, CFP and accepted-paper list appear under conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets/2026 when the organisers publish them.
How many papers did HotNets 2025 accept?
The 2025 HotCRP site reports 50 of 178 submissions accepted. Accepted papers are listed in the ACM Digital Library proceedings.
What is HotCRP in the context of HotNets?
HotCRP is the conference-management system behind the HotNets 2025 submission and review site (hotnets25.hotcrp.com).
How long can a HotNets paper be?
Up to 6 pages excluding references in the 2025 CFP, with no appendices.
Are HotNets papers peer reviewed and archived?
Submissions are blind-reviewed by a program committee, and accepted papers are published in the ACM Digital Library.
Sources
- HotNets 2025 Call for Papers, conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets/2025/cfp.html, read 2026-11-07.
- HotNets 2025 submission site, hotnets25.hotcrp.com, read 2026-11-07.
- HotNets workshop index, conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets, read 2026-11-07.
