A homebrew quantum computer simulator

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the development and functionality of a homebrew quantum computer simulator created in Python, with a focus on its implementation of Grover's algorithm and potential future developments like Shor's algorithm. Participants share their experiences, challenges, and suggestions regarding the simulator's usability and features.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their experience developing a quantum computer simulator on a Raspberry Pi 4, noting its ability to simulate up to 13 qubits, although with significant time constraints.
  • Another participant expresses difficulty in understanding the program due to their lack of familiarity with quantum computing, suggesting that the simulator may be too complex for some users.
  • Some participants mention missing files or libraries necessary for running the simulator, indicating ongoing technical issues.
  • A participant compares the homebrew simulator to the IBM quantum simulator, suggesting that the latter is easier to use for beginners.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of familiarity with quantum computing, leading to differing opinions on the usability of the simulator. There is no consensus on the simulator's accessibility or effectiveness for all users, as some find it complicated while others may see its potential.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note missing files or libraries that affect the simulator's functionality, and there are indications that the program lacks a graphical user interface for manipulating quantum gates, which may limit its usability for those unfamiliar with the concepts.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in quantum computing, programming in Python, or those looking to explore quantum algorithms may find this discussion relevant.

Bob Walance
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TL;DR
My Python code for and a video describing this Python-based quantum computer simulator.
A while ago I started writing a quantum computer simulator in order to learn more about quantum computing. It certainly has helped me.

The simulator is written in Python and the development was done on a Raspberry Pi 4. It has also been tested on a pc.

In order to see it do something useful I implemented Grover's algorithm. It can simulate up to 13 qubits although that takes about 1/2 hour to do on the Pi. Running 10 qubits is pretty quick. I plan to tackle Shor's algorithm next.

Here's a link to a video that briefly describes its operation and shows a demo of qubit entanglement plus a demo of Grover's algorithm.


Here's a link to code. This link is also shown at the beginning of the video.
https://github.com/BobWalance/My-qc-simulator-repository
 
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I've also written a blog post about the development of the simulator.https://medium.com/@BobWalance/building-a-quantum-computer-simulator-with-python-on-a-raspberry-pi-86c5e9f2513b
 
There is a file or library missing (2024).
 
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I've fixed that problem. Please download the six new .py files, and let me know if you're able to run it. Thanks.
 
entropy1 said:
There is a file or library missing (2024).

After you get the new files, the one to run is 'qc_simulator.py'.
 
Bob Walance said:
After you get the new files, the one to run is 'qc_simulator.py'.
Thanks. It seems to work fine now. But I am not familiar with quantum computing. So the program is abacadabra to me :cry: I expected a graphical user interface in which you can add and drop gates. But that is not available in this version of your program. So your program is too complicated for me. But it can probably be of use to other forummers. :smile:
 
entropy1 said:
Thanks. But I am not familiar with quantum computing. So the program is abacadabra to me. :smile:
The IBM simulator is much easier to use. Give it a try and then learn how to entangle two qubits. That'll be a good start.
https://quantum.ibm.com/composer/files/new
 
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