Journal profile · Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Designs Codes and Cryptography
ISSN 0925-1022 · eISSN 1573-7586 · Springer US · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1991
Designs Codes and Cryptography: CAS Zone 3 · Mathematics (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.21; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,190; median 221 days to acceptance (96 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 197 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Designs Codes and Cryptography is published by Springer US and is in Zone 3 of Mathematics in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Coding theory and cryptography, graph theory and CDMA systems and Finite Group Theory Research, together about 62% of its articles. Its main subfields are Artificial Intelligence. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Designs, Codes and Cryptography is an archival peer-reviewed technical journal publishing original research papers in the designated areas. There is a great deal of activity in design theory, coding theory and cryptography, including a substantial amount of research which brings together more than one of the subjects. While many journals exist for each of the individual areas, few encourage the interaction of the disciplines. The journal was founded to meet the needs of mathematicians, engineers and computer scientists working in these areas, whose interests extend beyond the bounds of any one of the individual disciplines. The journal provides a forum for high quality research in its three areas, with papers touching more than one of the areas especially welcome. The journal also considers high quality submissions in the closely related areas of finite fields and finite geometries, which provide important tools for both the construction and the actual application of designs, codes and cryptographic systems. In particular, it includes (mostly theoretical) papers on computational aspects of finite fields. It also considers topics in sequence design, which frequently admit equivalent formulations in the journal's main areas. Designs, Codes and Cryptography is mathematically oriented, emphasizing the algebraic and geometric aspects of the areas it covers. The journal considers high quality papers of both a theoretical and a practical nature, provided they contain a substantial amount of mathematics. The journal is published twelve times per year with distribution to mathematicians, engineers, computer scientists and others in education, industry and government. It appeals to those mathematicians with an interest in seeing deep theoretical results in discrete mathematics applied, to those engineers who appreciate the beauty and usefulness of discrete mathematics and to those computer scientists who are interested in data security, complexity issues and reliable data transmission and storage. The journal maintains strict refereeing procedures and no paper previously published in another journal, transactions or book will be considered. The journal also publishes a small number of survey articles but welcomes high quality surveys on major topics of current interest; such projects must be discussed with the Editors-in-Chief in advance. Submissions extending previously published conference papers are only considered if they provide a significant contribution beyon
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Editor-in-chief Dieter JungnickelPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 6 in mainland China (about 8%); most named United States 10, United Kingdom 9, France 9, Italy 7, Mainland China 6 (79 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Coding theory and cryptographyComputer Science28.6%
- graph theory and CDMA systemsEngineering21.7%
- Finite Group Theory ResearchMathematics11.8%
- Cryptographic Implementations and SecurityComputer Science5.6%
- Cryptography and Data SecurityComputer Science4.6%
- Cellular Automata and ApplicationsComputer Science3.4%
- Cooperative Communication and Network CodingComputer Science3.2%
- Chaos-based Image/Signal EncryptionComputer Science3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Mathematics Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Mathematics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Theory & Methods | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mathematics, Applied | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Mathematics Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Mathematics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Theory & Methods | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mathematics, Applied | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Mathematics Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Mathematics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Theory & Methods | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Mathematics, Applied | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexINSPECzbMATHDBLPCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, ACM Digital Library, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.21LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.2Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.4LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.71LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.22LetPub ·
- h-index
- 49LetPub ·
- h-index
- 90OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,474OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.29OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 27.43%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 191LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 342,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,951 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 194 | 70 | 27 |
| 2025 | 197 | 84 | 221 |
| 2024 | 208 | 79 | 522 |
| 2023 | 176 | 68 | 771 |
| 2022 | 191 | 66 | 1,210 |
| 2021 | 153 | 68 | 1,388 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
221 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 156 days – 293 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 26 days (98 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 265 days
- Sample
- 96 articles with submission and acceptance dates (448 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 9 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,190 / EUR 2,590 / GBP 2,290 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | No APC | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted1
- editorialSingle-blind peer review This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. Editorial Procedure—additional information Peer Review Policy For all submissi…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Designs, Codes and Cryptography, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer Review Policy
For all submissions, this Journal adheres to the standard Peer Review Policy, Process and Guidance as outlined by Springer under Editorial Policies in the Information for Journal Authors web page. All submissions to Springer journals are first reviewed for completeness and only then sent to be assessed by an Editor who will decide whether they are suitable for peer review. Where an Editor is on th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer US
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1991
- ISSN
- 0925-1022
- Electronic ISSN
- 1573-7586
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Designs Codes and Cryptography
What CAS zone is Designs Codes and Cryptography in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Designs Codes and Cryptography is in Zone 3 of Mathematics, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Computer Science, Theory & Methods / Mathematics, Applied. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Mathematics. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Designs Codes and Cryptography?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.21; CiteScore 2.4, h-index 90.
How long does peer review take at Designs Codes and Cryptography?
Based on the dates recorded on 96 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 221 days (interquartile range 156–293 days); authors report an average review time of about 9 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Designs Codes and Cryptography?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Designs Codes and Cryptography based?
Of the 79 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 6 (about 8%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (10), United Kingdom (9) and France (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Designs Codes and Cryptography?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Designs Codes and Cryptography is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC, zbMATH, DBLP and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Designs Codes and Cryptography open access, and what is the APC?
Designs Codes and Cryptography is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,190.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-24). Last updated: .