Run contests competitors can trust.

Contest Tools & Standards

Resources for contest directors, technical teams, and problem setters. Use these standards and tools to build, validate, run, and present programming contests.

Standards and specifications

• Contest Control System specifications
  System requirements, Contest API, and contest archive formats for interoperable contest systems and tools.

• Problem Package Format specification
  Formats and guidance for packaging contest problems and test data.

Contest systems

• PC²
  A contest control system used to administer programming contests.

• DOMjudge
  An automated programming contest judging system.

Problem development and judging

• Guidelines for Producing a Programming Contest Problem Set (June 2026)
  Official guidance for chief judges and problem authors on problem-set design, scheduling, specification, solutions, and testing.

• problemtools
  Reference validation tools for the Problem Package Format.

• BAPCtools
  Tools for developing and maintaining contest problems.

Contest operations and presentation

• ICPC Tools
  Official utilities for contest data, scoreboards, results, presentations, balloons, and related operations.

Looking for learning and practice resources? Return to Learn & Practice or choose a Practice Platform.

Last reviewed: August 3, 2026.