Qiskit and Quantum Computer Simulation

This chapter introduces Qiskit (Quantum Information Software Kit), focusing on how it can be used to run programs in IBM QX as well as its capabilities for quantum simulation. These capabilities are highly useful in development. This chapter gives an overview of how to obtain, install, and work with Qiskit, as well as how to set up Qiskit to interact with IBM QX. The chapter then moves on to a capstone project using Qiskit to illustrate, in one project, the concepts of quantum circuits, measurement, and Qiskit usage, while producing a useful demo of using a quantum computer to represent musical chords. This chapter also discusses more advanced quantum computing algorithms with Qiskit, available via the Qiskit Aqua package. 

We learned how to install Qiskit in Chapter 1, What is Quantum Computing?, and some basics in Chapter 5, Quantum Circuits. In this chapter, we will review Qiskit and the basics of working with it, as well as learning more advanced usage. The intention of this chapter is to be standalone, so that those who have not read or not recently read Chapter 1, What is Quantum Computing?, and Chapter 5, Quantum Circuits, should be able to start from this chapter. For readers who are already comfortable with Qiskit basics, feel free to skim or skip the subsections of this chapter that focus on them.

This chapter will cover the following topics: