What problem does it solve?
Qiskit helps you turn high-level quantum algorithm ideas into hardware-compatible circuits you can simulate and execute to obtain measurements or expectation values.
Core Features & Use Cases
- Circuit construction and composition: Create quantum circuits with single- and multi-qubit gates, measurements, parameterized workflows, and reusable subcircuits.
- Primitives for execution: Use Sampler for measurement bitstrings and Estimator for expectation values needed in VQE/QAOA/chemistry workflows.
- Optimization for real hardware: Transpile circuits to match backend topology and native gate sets, with configurable optimization levels and best practices to reduce costly two-qubit gates.
- Hardware execution and job management: Run on IBM Quantum (and other providers via Qiskit ecosystem patterns), including session and batch modes and mitigation configuration.
- Visualization for validation: Draw circuits, plot histograms, and visualize states/topologies to confirm correctness before production runs.
Use case example: Implement VQE for a molecular Hamiltonian by mapping the problem to a qubit operator, transpiling an ansatz for an IBM backend, executing with Estimator in a session loop, and post-processing the ground-state energy.
Quick Start
Use the qiskit skill to run your first circuit on an IBM backend by executing a transpiled Bell-state circuit with the Sampler primitive.