Quantum computation and quantum information
by Michael A. Nielsen, Isaac L. Chuang, CAMBRIDGE INDIA · first published 2000
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Standard quantum computing textbook with background chapters on linear algebra and quantum mechanics, so it works from scratch for CS or math readers. Thorough and mathematical, also useful for tomography and algorithms.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…then Wikipedia is surprisingly good at explaining what each new gate does. Otherwise the standards reference that starts from scratch (prerequisites being linear algebra and intro quantum mechanics) is Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Nielsen and Chuang. It is a very thick book and it takes a sustained effort to read it, but stackexchange is always eager to help. Preskill's lecture notes are amazing as well. Regrettably, I do not…
on “Interactive online quantum circuit simulator” ↗…"General Relativity" is slow-going, but excellent. No good textbooks on quantum mechanics or QFT exist; Weinberg's "Quantum Theory of Fields" is probably the least terrible on that. Nielsen and Chuang's "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" is still excellent, but pretty out-of-date. Also, to be clear, I haven't worked through most of Sussman, so I can't recommend it one way or the other. I was just commenting on the handling of the Legendre…
on “Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics (2015)” ↗The bible is Nielsen and Chuang's Quantum Computation and Quantum Information: http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Computation-Information-Cambri... See also these resources in Nielsen's blog: http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/writing/
on “Quantum Entanglement Drives the Arrow of Time” ↗…wrong way. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement#Applicati... might work better as highlighting links here, although something like "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" by Nielsen and Chuang would be a much better reference.
on “Researchers quantum teleport particle of light six kilometres” ↗…abstract links to a 19-page pdf: From Cbits to Qbits: Teaching computer scientists quantum mechanics N. David Mermin https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0207118 After that, the textbook by Nielsen and Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information. It's a big book but the first couple of chapters, 60 pages or so, are self-contained and make a good introduction.
on “How could a software dev build a bottom-up understanding of quantum computing?” ↗This is really great and excites me both as an RC/HS alumnus and a (quantum) physicist that loves Nielsen/Chuang's book on "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information". As an experimentalist that book helped me so much in understanding quantum state/process tomography and quantum algorithms. Today it is still the go-to reference for "practical quantum computing" and…
on “Michael Nielsen joins the Recurse Center to help build a research lab” ↗…MIT. His book "Quantum Computing since Democritus" is quite great as well, no matter whether you are a researcher or just a layman. If you want to delve deeper in the Quantum Physics side of things try "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" by Nielsen and Chuang (PhD level textbook).
on “Quintuple: a Python 5-qubit quantum computer simulator” ↗Leonard Susskind's "Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum" as well as Nielsen & Chuang's "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" are also fantastic resources. I've got both sitting here on my desk :)
on “Ask HN: What's the best computer science book you've read recently?” ↗The best book out there is still Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Nielsen and Chuang. It isn't quite current, as it lacks both the advances in hardware (superconducting qubits) and algorithms (quantum/classical hybrids & the sampling benchmark that this article is…
on “Google plans to reach a Quantum Computing milestone before the year is out” ↗If someone wants a more detailed explanation about the gates mentioned in the blog, consider reading the introductory chapter to 'Quantum Computation and Quantum Information' by Neilsen and Chuang.
on “Quantum Computing: A Beginner’s Notes and Overview of IBM's Quantum Experience” ↗Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Nielsen and Chuang is the standard introduction to quantum computing. Besides that, you can find some old CS191 Vazirani lectures on the internet.
on “An Introduction to Quantum Computing, Without the Physics” ↗The classic book is: - Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Michael A. Nielsen Isaac L. Chuang A bit gentler introduction: - Quantum Computing: A Gentle Introduction by Eleanor G. Rieffel
on “Ask HN: What are the best books about Quantum Computing for beginners?” ↗I'm currently taking a class of QC and we're following the book "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" by Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang: I find it very clear and it doesn't assume prior experience/knowledge of the topic. I suggest you to give a look.
on “Rigetti launches the public beta of its Quantum Cloud Services” ↗Yanofsky and Manucci's "Quantum Computing for Computer Scientists" is a smooth intro if you come from a CS background. Nielsen and Chuang's "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" is more thorough and advanced from a mathematical point of view. But it contains a primer on the linear algebra required.
on “Rigetti launches the public beta of its Quantum Cloud Services” ↗…sure what's college level physics like, but for me (math/CS background) learning quantum physics was: - Quantum algorithms and computing: "Quantum Computing Since Democritus" by Scott Aaronson [0] and "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" by Nielsen and Chuang [1]. "Quantum Computer Science" by Mermin is really good too. - Leonard Susskind's lectures on quantum mechanics [3] - "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David Griffiths [4]…
on “Ask HN: How to start on the path of learning Quantam Physics?” ↗