| title | description | author | ms.author | ms.date | ms.topic | uid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
How to learn quantum computing |
natke |
nakersha |
10/22/2019 |
article |
microsoft.quantum.overview.learn |
Learn how to start writing quantum programs.
Fortunately, you don’t need to know quantum physics to start writing quantum applications. However, there are some concepts that are especially important to understand quantum computing. But don’t worry if you don’t know something! We will give you the resources to learn the necessary tools.
- Linear algebra (vectors and matrices): in quantum computing, quantum states are represented by vectors, with quantum operations being linear transformations applied to these vectors.
- Complex numbers: the coefficients of quantum state vectors are complex numbers. You can understand some basic quantum computing concepts without them, but you won't get far before you need to incorporate them into your quantum toolkit.
- Basic quantum mechanics: We just said that you don’t need to know quantum physics to start coding (and it’s true!). But some basic concepts of quantum mechanics and its mathematical notation will be helpful to understand quantum programming.
Now that you have the basics, you're ready to start writing your first quantum programs. There are many options to get started. Here we recommend you some of them:
- Write your first quantum program
- Learn with the Quantum Katas: an open-source project containing programming exercises aimed at teaching quantum computing. In particular, the online version of the Quantum Katas in form of Q# Jupyter Notebooks is especially easy to use. In less than 5 min you can start to write your first quantum program without needing to install anything.
- Tutorials and samples
Maybe you want to take a deeper look into the theory of quantum mechanics and quantum computing. Here you have a list of useful material:
- Start with our guide to quantum computing concepts, a compilation of basic concepts for quantum computing.
- Learn Quantum Computing with Python and Q# (Sarah C. Kaiser and Christopher E. Granade) provides an excellent introduction for people who have little to no experience with quantum mechanics, but some programming background.
- Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (Michael A. Nielsen, Isaac L. Chuang) is the most cited text in the field of quantum computation. It is regarded as the standard text on the subject. The book assumes minimal prior experience with quantum mechanics and computer science. It is an excellent choice for those readers who want a rigorous introduction to the topic as well as for those who are looking for references for advanced concepts.
- MIT OpenCourseWare has an excellent online course imparted by Allan Adams for learning the basics of quantum mechanics. Perfect for those who want a better understanding of the underlying physics.
You don’t have to learn this alone, there is a big community of amateurs and experts alike who are willing to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask!
- If you have any questions about Q# or quantum computing don’t hesitate and take a look at the Quantum Computing StackExchange site. If you don’t find your specific question you can always ask a new one.
- Check out Q# blog and Microsoft Quantum Blog to stay up to date with the latest news and resources about Q#.
- Check Q# Community and Awesome Q# to look for more resources and material.
- Learn quantum computing concepts with Q#
- Get started with the Microsoft Quantum Development Kit