We are currently living in an exciting time for quantum computing. Most leading companies like Google and IBM have 20 qubit devices. IBM has a 50 qubit prototype [0].<p>Google has plans to show quantum supremacy in the next couple of months: where a quantum computer will perform a task that cannot be simulated on a classical computer [1]. These near-term (5-10 year) quantum computers will likely be used for simulating quantum chemistry and solving optimization problems [2].<p>[0]: <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609451/ibm-raises-the-bar-with-a-50-qubit-quantum-computer/" rel="nofollow">https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609451/ibm-raises-the-bar...</a><p>[1]: <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609035/google-reveals-blueprint-for-quantum-supremacy/" rel="nofollow">https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609035/google-reveals-blu...</a><p>[2]: <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/commercialize-quantum-technologies-in-five-years-1.21583" rel="nofollow">https://www.nature.com/news/commercialize-quantum-technologi...</a>
Here is another introduction that actually uses a quantum computing Python API to explain the fundamentals of quantum computation [0], geared to a programmer audience.<p>[0] <a href="http://pyquil.readthedocs.io/en/latest/intro_to_qc.html" rel="nofollow">http://pyquil.readthedocs.io/en/latest/intro_to_qc.html</a>
Very well done. Short, yet covers all the necessary details.<p>Shameless plug, check out my book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0992001021/noBSLA" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/dp/0992001021/noBSLA</a> for an in-depth view of the linear algebra background necessary for quantum computing.<p>If you know linear algebra well, then quantum mechanics and quantum computing is nothing fancy: just an area of applications (See Chapter 9 on QM). Here is an excerpt: <a href="https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSguide2LA_preview.pdf#page=125" rel="nofollow">https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSguide2LA_previ...</a>
So take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt but I believe that current generation of quantum computers (quantum digital) is fundamentally flawed. Basically all architectures I've seen still use bits (qubits are still bits and use entanglement) as opposed to the superior signals. The class of computers I'm talking about is called continuous-variable quantum computers (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous-variable_quantum_information" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous-variable_quantum_in...</a>). Unlike DQ, it doesn't use entanglement.<p>They are similar to the old school analog electric computers. They have some interesting properties and I can actually imagine programming one unlike DQ.<p>There's a fourth class, continuous analog with entanglement which are superior to both, DQ, and continuous-variable quantum computers but right now we should really be looking into the continous variable ones.
IBM lets you poke around one of their quantum machines here for free:<p><a href="https://quantumexperience.ng.bluemix.net/qx/experience" rel="nofollow">https://quantumexperience.ng.bluemix.net/qx/experience</a><p>They also include a brief tutorial on how to program for it too.
Quantum computing is <i>way</i> beyond me but I found this video by Kurzgesagt really interesting <a href="https://youtu.be/JhHMJCUmq28" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/JhHMJCUmq28</a>