--- title: Introduction description: Introduction to Qiskit and IBM Quantum Compute Service. source: https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/en/guides --- # Introduction ## Introduction to Qiskit and IBM Quantum Welcome to the documentation for [Qiskit](/docs/guides/tools-intro), its related packages, and IBM Quantum® Platform. This documentation includes how-to guides to get you started on our tools, specific use-case tutorials that include end-to-end examples, and a collection of API references. Qiskit provides a modular and extensible framework for quantum research and development across algorithms, high-performance computing, and quantum information science. With it, researchers can build, optimize, and execute quantum workflows with [specialized addons](/docs/guides/addons), software tools, and extensive resources. Through IBM Quantum Platform, users can access [IBM Quantum Compute Service](/docs/guides/compute-services) and the [Qiskit Functions Catalog](/functions) to run workloads efficiently on the IBM® fleet of quantum computers. ![A graphic showing the different components of IBM Quantum Platform and Qiskit.](https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/images/guides/index/overview-image.avif) Beyond Qiskit and its related packages is the [Qiskit ecosystem](https://www.ibm.com/quantum/ecosystem), a catalog of open-source projects that interface with Qiskit to extend its functionality. ## Get started - [**Quickstart**](/docs/guides/quick-start) — Build a quantum circuit in under two minutes - no sign-in or API key required. - [**Tutorials**](/docs/tutorials) — Try end-to-end examples that apply Qiskit to common quantum computing use cases. ## Explore capabilities - [**Circuit building**](/docs/guides/construct-circuits) — Construct quantum circuits by using the Qiskit SDK. - [**Optimization**](/docs/guides/transpile) — Construct high-fidelity circuits with reduced depth that are ready for execution with the Qiskit SDK transpiler. - [**Error mitigation**](/docs/guides/error-mitigation-and-suppression-techniques) — Explore the available error mitigation and suppression techniques available from IBM Quantum. - [**Execution**](/docs/guides/primitives) — Use IBM Quantum primitives to run quantum circuits on IBM Quantum hardware. - [**Post-processing**](/docs/addons/qiskit-addon-sqd) — Refine your results by using post-processing techniques for specialized applications available as Qiskit addons. - [**Qiskit Functions**](/docs/guides/functions) — Accelerate quantum workload creation with pre-built tools created by partner organizations. ## Support - [**Error code registry**](/docs/errors) — Look up error codes and suggested solutions. - [**Support page**](/docs/guides/support) — Find answers to frequently-asked questions, learn how to report bugs, discover communities to join, and more. ## Contents - Get started - [Introduction](/docs/guides) - [Quickstart](/docs/guides/quick-start) - [IBM Quantum Composer](/docs/guides/composer) - [Changelog](/docs/guides/latest-updates) - Qiskit - [Introduction to Qiskit](/docs/guides/tools-intro) - Install - [Install Qiskit](/docs/guides/install-qiskit) - [Install the Qiskit SDK from source](/docs/guides/install-qiskit-source) - [Configure the Qiskit SDK locally](/docs/guides/configure-qiskit-local) - [Install the Qiskit C API](/docs/guides/install-c-api) - [Extend Qiskit in Python with C](/docs/guides/c-extension-for-python) - [Online lab environments](/docs/guides/online-lab-environments) - Circuits and operators - [Overview](/docs/guides/construct-circuits) - [Circuit library](/docs/guides/circuit-library) - [Save circuits to disk](/docs/guides/save-circuits) - [Measure qubits](/docs/guides/measure-qubits) - Operators module - [Overview of operator classes](/docs/guides/operators-overview) - [The Operator class](/docs/guides/operator-class) - [Synthesize unitary operators](/docs/guides/synthesize-unitary-operators) - [Specify observables in the Pauli basis](/docs/guides/specify-observables-pauli) - Advanced circuit building - [Deferred timing resolution using stretch](/docs/guides/stretch) - [Classical feedforward and control flow](/docs/guides/classical-feedforward-and-control-flow) - [Bit-ordering in the Qiskit SDK](/docs/guides/bit-ordering) - OpenQASM - [Intro to OpenQASM](/docs/guides/introduction-to-qasm) - [OpenQASM 2 and the Qiskit SDK](/docs/guides/interoperate-qiskit-qasm2) - [OpenQASM 3 and the Qiskit SDK](/docs/guides/interoperate-qiskit-qasm3) - [OpenQASM 3 feature table](/docs/guides/qasm-feature-table) - [OpenQASM 3.x live specification](https://openqasm.com/) - Transpilation - [Introduction to transpilation](/docs/guides/transpile) - [Transpiler stages](/docs/guides/transpiler-stages) - [Transpile with pass managers](/docs/guides/transpile-with-pass-managers) - [Create a pass manager for dynamical decoupling](/docs/guides/dynamical-decoupling-pass-manager) - Configure preset pass managers - [Default settings and configuration options](/docs/guides/defaults-and-configuration-options) - [Set optimization level](/docs/guides/set-optimization) - [Commonly used parameters for transpilation](/docs/guides/common-parameters) - [Represent quantum computers for the transpiler](/docs/guides/represent-quantum-computers) - [Compare transpiler settings](/docs/guides/circuit-transpilation-settings) - Advanced transpilation resources - [Write a custom transpiler pass](/docs/guides/custom-transpiler-pass) - [Create and transpile against custom backends](/docs/guides/custom-backend) - [Install and use transpiler plugins](/docs/guides/transpiler-plugins) - [Create a transpiler plugin](/docs/guides/create-transpiler-plugin) - [Work with DAGs in transpiler passes](/docs/guides/DAG-representation) - [AI-powered transpiler passes](/docs/guides/ai-transpiler-passes) - Primitives - [Introduction to primitives](/docs/guides/primitives) - [Primitive inputs and outputs](/docs/guides/primitive-input-output) - [Get started with the backend primitives](/docs/guides/get-started-with-backend-primitives) - [Exact simulation with Qiskit SDK primitives](/docs/guides/simulate-with-qiskit-sdk-primitives) - Debugging - Simulate circuits with noise - [Introduction](/docs/guides/debugging-tools) - [Exact and noisy simulation with Qiskit Aer primitives](/docs/guides/simulate-with-qiskit-aer) - [Exact simulation with Qiskit SDK primitives](/docs/guides/simulate-with-qiskit-sdk-primitives) - [Build noise models](/docs/guides/build-noise-models) - [Efficient simulation of stabilizer circuits with Qiskit Aer primitives](/docs/guides/simulate-stabilizer-circuits) - Visualization - [Visualize circuits](/docs/guides/visualize-circuits) - [Visualize circuit timing](/docs/guides/visualize-circuit-timing) - [Plot quantum states](/docs/guides/plot-quantum-states) - [Visualize results](/docs/guides/visualize-results) - [Advanced techniques - Qiskit addons](/docs/guides/addons) - [Integrate external quantum resources with Qiskit](/docs/guides/create-a-provider) - Integrations - [Quantum resource management interface (QRMI)](/docs/guides/qrmi) - [SPANK plugin for QRMI](/docs/guides/slurm-plugin) - [SPANK plugin user guide](/docs/guides/slurm-hpc-ux) - [Qiskit MCP servers](/docs/guides/qiskit-mcp-servers) - [Qiskit Code Assistant](/docs/guides/qiskit-code-assistant) - IBM Quantum services - [Introduction to IBM Quantum services](/docs/guides/compute-services) - Install - [Install the IBM Quantum Compute client](/docs/guides/install-qiskit-runtime) - [Install the IBM Quantum Compute client from source](/docs/guides/install-qiskit-runtime-source) - [Run your first circuit on hardware](/docs/guides/hello-world) - IBM Quantum Platform - Set up IBM Quantum Platform - [Set up your IBM Cloud account](/docs/guides/cloud-setup) - [Set up your IBM Cloud account - invited users](/docs/guides/cloud-setup-invited) - [Set up your IBM Cloud account in an untrusted environment](/docs/guides/cloud-setup-untrusted) - [Set up to use IBM Quantum Platform with REST API](/docs/guides/cloud-setup-rest-api) - [Save your login credentials](/docs/guides/save-credentials) - [Initialize your IBM Quantum Compute Service account](/docs/guides/initialize-account) - [Create a Classroom Account](/docs/guides/classroom-accounts) - Set up for an organization - [Setup considerations](/docs/guides/considerations-set-up-runtime) - [Configure IBM Quantum Platform](/docs/guides/quickstart-steps-org) - IBM Quantum plans - [Plans overview](/docs/guides/plans-overview) - [Upgrade from the Open Plan](/docs/guides/upgrade-from-open) - [Manage cost on the Pay-As-You-Go Plan](/docs/guides/manage-cost) - Work with instances - [Create and manage instances](/docs/guides/instances) - [Set allocation limits](/docs/guides/allocation-limits) - [Use IBM Cloud Resource Controller API to manage instances](/docs/guides/access-instances-platform-apis) - Accounts, access groups, and policies - [Cloud account structure](/docs/guides/cloud-account-structure) - [Create access groups and policies](/docs/guides/access-groups) - [Set up custom roles](/docs/guides/custom-roles) - Manage users - [Invite users and manage access](/docs/guides/invite-and-manage-users) - [Manage ID provider users](/docs/guides/manage-appid) - [Manage IBM Cloud users](/docs/guides/manage-cloud-users) - [Logging](/docs/guides/logging) - Execute with primitives - [Introduction to IBM Quantum primitives](/docs/guides/qiskit-runtime-primitives) - [Directed execution model (beta)](/docs/guides/directed-execution-model) - [Introduction to options](/docs/guides/runtime-options-overview) - Estimator - [Get started](/docs/guides/get-started-with-estimator) - [Inputs and outputs](/docs/guides/estimator-input-output) - [Options](/docs/guides/estimator-options) - [Configure noise management](/docs/guides/estimator-noise-management) - [Examples](/docs/guides/estimator-examples) - [REST API](/docs/guides/estimator-rest-api) - Sampler - [Get started](/docs/guides/get-started-with-sampler) - [Inputs and outputs](/docs/guides/sampler-input-output) - [Options](/docs/guides/sampler-options) - [Configure noise management](/docs/guides/sampler-noise-management) - [Examples](/docs/guides/sampler-examples) - [REST API](/docs/guides/sampler-rest-api) - Executor - [Get started](/docs/guides/get-started-with-executor) - [Inputs and outputs](/docs/guides/executor-input-output) - [Broadcasting](/docs/guides/executor-broadcasting) - [Options](/docs/guides/executor-options) - [Examples](/docs/guides/executor-examples) - Manage noise - [Overview of noise management techniques](/docs/guides/error-mitigation-overview) - [Error mitigation and suppression](/docs/guides/error-mitigation-and-suppression-techniques) - [Noise learning](/docs/guides/noise-learning) - [Use postselection in workloads](/docs/guides/post-selection) - [Debug jobs with NEAT](/docs/guides/debug-qiskit-runtime-jobs) - [Local testing mode](/docs/guides/local-testing-mode) - Advanced execution features - [Fractional gates](/docs/guides/fractional-gates) - [Execute dynamic circuits](/docs/guides/execute-dynamic-circuits) - [Visualize circuit timing](/docs/guides/qiskit-runtime-circuit-timing) - IBM quantum computers - [Processor types](/docs/guides/processor-types) - [View backend details](/docs/guides/qpu-information) - [Monitoring, calibrations, and benchmarking](/docs/guides/calibration-jobs) - [Qubit initialization](/docs/guides/repetition-rate-execution) - [Retired cloud QPUs](/docs/guides/retired-qpus) - [Fair-share scheduler](/docs/guides/fair-share-scheduler) - [View cost](/docs/guides/view-cost) - Manage workload execution - [Monitor or cancel a job](/docs/guides/monitor-job) - [Workload usage](/docs/guides/estimate-job-run-time) - [Minimize job run time](/docs/guides/minimize-time) - [Maximum execution time](/docs/guides/max-execution-time) - [Job limits](/docs/guides/job-limits) - [Organize and search by job tags](/docs/guides/add-job-tags) - [Retrieve and save job results](/docs/guides/save-jobs) - Execution modes - [Introduction to execution modes](/docs/guides/execution-modes) - [Choose the right execution mode](/docs/guides/choose-execution-mode) - [Run jobs in a batch](/docs/guides/run-jobs-batch) - [Run jobs in a session](/docs/guides/run-jobs-session) - [Execution modes using REST API](/docs/guides/execution-modes-rest-api) - [Execution modes FAQ](/docs/guides/execution-modes-faq) - Qiskit Serverless - [Introduction to Qiskit Serverless](/docs/guides/serverless) - [Write your first Qiskit Serverless program](/docs/guides/serverless-first-program) - [Run your first Qiskit Serverless workload remotely](/docs/guides/serverless-run-first-workload) - [Manage Qiskit Serverless compute and data resources](/docs/guides/serverless-manage-resources) - [Port code to Qiskit Serverless](/docs/guides/serverless-port-code) - Applications research tools - [Introduction to Qiskit Functions](/docs/guides/functions) - [Get started with Qiskit Functions](/docs/guides/functions-get-started) - Circuit functions - [Algorithmiq Tensor-network error mitigation](/docs/guides/algorithmiq-tem) - [Q-CTRL Performance Management](/docs/guides/q-ctrl-performance-management) - [Qedma QESEM](/docs/guides/qedma-qesem) - [Quantum Elements Orbit](/docs/guides/quantum-elements-orbit) - Application functions - [Kipu Quantum Iskay Quantum Optimizer](/docs/guides/kipu-optimization) - [Multiverse Computing Singularity](/docs/guides/multiverse-computing-singularity) - [Q-CTRL Optimization Solver](/docs/guides/q-ctrl-optimization-solver) - [Quantum Portfolio Optimizer: A Qiskit Function by Global Data Quantum](/docs/guides/global-data-quantum-optimizer) - [QUICK-PDE: A Qiskit Function by ColibriTD](/docs/guides/colibritd-pde) - [Qunova Computing HI-VQE Chemistry](/docs/guides/qunova-chemistry) - Qiskit Function templates - [Introduction to Qiskit Function templates](/docs/guides/qiskit-function-templates) - [Template for chemistry simulation](/docs/guides/function-template-chemistry-workflow) - [Template for Hamiltonian simulation](/docs/guides/function-template-hamiltonian-simulation) - [Sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD)](/docs/addons/qiskit-addon-sqd) - Additional resources - Support and FAQ - [Support](/docs/guides/support) - [Frequently-asked questions](/docs/guides/faq) - [Development workflow](/docs/guides/intro-to-patterns) - Migration guides - Migrate to Qiskit 2.0 - [Qiskit v2.0 migration guide](/docs/guides/qiskit-2.0) - [Migrate from BackendV1 to BackendV2](/docs/guides/qiskit-backendv1-to-v2) - Migrate to Qiskit 1.0 - [Introduction](/docs/guides/qiskit-1.0) - [Understand the breaking package changes](/docs/guides/metapackage-migration) - [Install the new Qiskit v1.0 package](/docs/guides/qiskit-1.0-installation) - [Qiskit v1.0 feature changes](/docs/guides/qiskit-1.0-features) - [Migrate from Qiskit Pulse to fractional gates](/docs/guides/pulse-migration) - [Migrate to local simulators](/docs/guides/local-simulators) - Open-source resources - [Introduction](/docs/guides/open-source) - [Code of conduct](/docs/guides/code-of-conduct) - Contributor license agreements - [Individual contributor](/docs/open-source/qiskit-cla.pdf) - [Corporate contributor](/docs/open-source/qiskit-corporate-cla.pdf) - Qiskit SDK - [Version strategy](/docs/guides/qiskit-sdk-version-strategy) - [Contributor guide](https://github.com/Qiskit/qiskit/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) - [Maintainer guide](https://github.com/Qiskit/qiskit/blob/main/MAINTAINING.md) - [Qiskit ecosystem](https://www.ibm.com/quantum/ecosystem) - Security and compliance - [Securing your data](/docs/guides/secure-data) - [Understanding your responsibilities when using IBM Quantum Compute Service](/docs/guides/responsibilities) - [Use virtual private endpoints for VPC](/docs/guides/virtual-private-endpoints) - [High availability and disaster recovery](/docs/guides/ha-dr) - [Activity tracking events for IBM Quantum Compute Service](/docs/guides/observability-runtime-rest) - [Activity tracking events for the IBM Quantum System service](/docs/guides/observability-quantum-system) - [Repository security policies](/docs/guides/security-policies) - [Protecting IBM Quantum Compute Service resources with context-based restrictions](/docs/guides/context-based-restrictions)