Microsoft recently released a preview of its Quantum Development Kit to introduce developers to the quantum revolution. The kit has three components: a quantum programming language (Q#), local and Azure quantum simulators, and a GitHub library of quantum-centric code.
Q# (Q Sharp) is a high-level programming language that is built into Visual Studio. To enable developers to test quantum algorithms and solutions written in Q#, Microsoft has included a local simulator in the kit available from Visual Studio. This local simulator allows for full debugging support, including setting breakpoints and injecting code. Microsoft has also developed a scalable cloud simulator that supports simulations that require more than 40 qubits. A tracer simulator is also included in this kit to help developers optimize their code and estimate the cost of the required resources.
“Ultimately, quantum computing will allow us to go beyond 40 qubits. We will be able to study complex molecules that currently take more than the lifetime of the universe to study on our best supercomputers. It will only take a few hours or days with a quantum computer. Our quantum development kit enables you to write programs for these large calculations today,” said Krysta Svore, a Microsoft researcher in quantum computing.
The Microsoft Quantum Development Kit also includes Q# code libraries, building blocks, and tutorials written “by the industry’s brightest quantum minds.”.
