This book is an introduction, from scratch, to quantum computing and the most important and foundational quantum algorithms—ranging from humble protocols such as Deutsch’s algorithm to ones with far-reaching potential, such as Shor’s factoring algorithm—offering clear explanations and a hands-on approach with runnable code on simulators and real hardware. The book is self-contained and does not assume any previous experience in quantum computing. Starting with a single qubit, it scales to algorithms using superposition and entanglement.

At every step, examples of applications are provided, including how to create quantum money that is impossible to forge, quantum cryptography that cannot be broken, and algorithms for searching and factoring that are much faster than those that regular, non-quantum computers can use. Code for each of these algorithms is provided (and explained in detail) using Qiskit 2.1.

After reading this book, you will understand how quantum algorithms work, how to write your own quantum programs, and how to run them on quantum simulators and actual quantum computers. You will also be prepared to take the jump into quantum algorithms for optimization and artificial intelligence, like those presented in our previous book, A Practical Guide to Quantum Machine Learning and Quantum Optimization.