Microsoft's Quantum Development Kit- A Layman's View

Microsoft recently took the first steps in enabling developers around the world to start thinking and building for Quantum Computers. On December 11, 2017, Microsoft released a preview of its Quantum Development Kit and gave the developers an access to a language called Q# (pronounced Q-sharp), quantum simulators, and a bunch of libraries to experiment with on the path of developing for Quantum computers.

Here, we make it easy for you to understand what the fuss is all about.

What are Quantum Computers?

Quantum Computers are exceptionally powerful machines that will revolutionize the way machines process information. While a traditional computer requires that data be processed and stored in binary digits, as a 0 or a 1, quantum computations rely on quantum bits, dubbed as q-bits which can be in superpositions of states.

According to the wave equations in physics, any two or more quantum states can be added together to create another valid state, and the converse is also true, that a state in quantum physics is an addition of two or more other valid states.

By harnessing this natural behavior, it is believed that quantum computers will be able to run newer algorithms more holistically and that the technology will lead to breakthroughs in medicine, materials, drugs, and Artificial Intelligence.

What does the Microsoft Development Kit contain?

The kit contains primarily three components-

1. A fully-integrated quantum-focused development language Q#
2. Quantum Simulators
3. Libraries as building blocks

The Q# Programming Language

Quantum computer is naturally treated as a coprocessor. The primary logic essentially runs on a traditional host computer, which when necessary invokes the coprocessor for calculations. After the completion of calculations, the result is available with the host processor.

This model states three levels of computation-

1. Classical computation wherein the input is read, the quantum computation is set and triggered, the results of the computation are processed, and the results are presented to the user.
2. Quantum computation which takes place with a quantum algorithm within the quantum processor.
3. Classical computation that the quantum algorithm needs for its completion.

Quantum computation entails its own control structures, and resource management requirements.

Q# is a domain language to tackle quantum algorithms. It is a domain-specific programming language that can be used for writing sub-programs that are run on the quantum coprocessor.

Q# has a small set of primitive types with two structured types- arrays and tuples. Q# support procedural programming methodology and loops and if/then statements.

Integrating with Visual Studio, Microsoft has opened a channel of enterprise-grade development tools with the newly born language Q#.

Quantum Simulators

For the testing of programs developed in the Microsoft Quantum Development kit, it includes a local simulator that is available from within Visual Studio, and which supports all quantum programs written in Q#, and enables all debugging functionalities like setting up breakpoints, stepping into the code, etc.

For Quantum solutions that are larger on the scale, there is also a cloud-based Azure simulator that supports simulations that require over 40 qubits.

The kit also includes a trace simulator to help in code optimization and give you a cost of the resources needed.

Libraries in the Microsoft Quantum Development Kit

A rich source of Quantum libraries and samples are included as part of the kit to enable a better learning and implementation of Quantum programs. Apart from this, building blocks are readily available to be applied to all projects.

The kit also contains tutorials to speed up Quantum development learning and building up of Quantum programs.

All the code available is properly documented for better readability and understandability and is authored in Q# by the industry's best Quantum professionals and researchers.

Microsoft highly believes that the innovation will forever change our economic, industrial, academic, and societal landscape, and we cannot but agree.

Microsoft's eager release of the preview points to the fact that companies want to enter Quantum computing arena as soon as possible to capture developer's minds with their tools and services.

This development kit is a huge step ahead in the field of Quantum computing and has surely opened gates for further discussions, research, and advancements.

Author Bio: This article is written by Ethan Miller. He is a technical head of CRM development services. Stay connected to him on Facebook for latest updates and news.