cirq-ionq
A Cirq package to simulate and connect to IonQ quantum computers
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are already using Cirq and need access to IonQ quantum hardware. The package has low install friction, is actively maintained, carries a permissive license, and integrates cleanly with Cirq's ecosystem. It is not necessary if you only need local quantum simulation or are not targeting IonQ devices.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires IonQ API credentials and access to IonQ devices; see the package documentation for authentication setup.
- Low friction installation with only two runtime dependencies (requests and cirq-core).
- The package is actively maintained with recent releases, and supports modern Python versions (3.11–3.14).
License · maintenance · safety
Apache-2.0 (permissive) — Licensed under Apache-2.0 (permissive), so you can use, modify, and distribute the package freely with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-06-29 (46 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 5,046 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 155,344 downloads/mo, #10,822 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install cirq-ionq
import cirq
from cirq_ionq import IonQSimulatorService
# Create a simple quantum circuit
q0, q1 = cirq.LineQubit.range(2)
circuit = cirq.Circuit(cirq.H(q0), cirq.CNOT(q0, q1))
# Access IonQ service (requires authentication)
service = IonQSimulatorService()- Whether the package supports all current IonQ device types and capabilities
- Specific performance characteristics or latency when executing circuits on IonQ hardware
- Cost or quota implications of using IonQ devices through this integration
What it is and what it does
Cirq-IonQ is a bridge between Google's Cirq quantum programming framework and IonQ's quantum computers. It lets you write quantum algorithms using Cirq's abstractions and execute them on IonQ hardware, rather than only on simulators. The package depends on cirq-core and requests, and is built for NISQ (noisy intermediate-scale quantum) devices where hardware details matter for achieving good results.
You use it by defining a quantum circuit in Cirq, then submitting it to IonQ through the integration module's service interface. The package handles the translation between Cirq's circuit representation and IonQ's API, managing authentication and job submission. It's actively maintained, supports Python 3.11 through 3.14, and has no known security vulnerabilities.
Use it for
- Run Cirq-written quantum algorithms on real IonQ quantum hardware instead of local simulators.
- Prototype quantum applications that require trapped-ion quantum computers for their specific qubit properties.
- Benchmark quantum circuit performance on IonQ devices as part of a larger Cirq-based research workflow.
- Integrate IonQ quantum execution into a hybrid classical-quantum application built with Cirq.
- Access IonQ's quantum computers from a Python environment without learning a separate SDK.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are already using Cirq and need access to IonQ quantum hardware.
The package has low install friction, is actively maintained, carries a permissive license, and integrates cleanly with Cirq's ecosystem. It is not necessary if you only need local quantum simulation or are not targeting IonQ devices.
Install
cirq-ionq on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with only two runtime dependencies (requests and cirq-core). The package is actively maintained with recent releases, and supports modern Python versions (3.11–3.14).
Requires IonQ API credentials and access to IonQ devices; see the package documentation for authentication setup.
License in practice
Licensed under Apache-2.0 (permissive), so you can use, modify, and distribute the package freely with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install cirq-ionq
import cirq
from cirq_ionq import IonQSimulatorService
# Create a simple quantum circuit
q0, q1 = cirq.LineQubit.range(2)
circuit = cirq.Circuit(cirq.H(q0), cirq.CNOT(q0, q1))
# Access IonQ service (requires authentication)
service = IonQSimulatorService()Verify before relying
- Whether the package supports all current IonQ device types and capabilities
- Specific performance characteristics or latency when executing circuits on IonQ hardware
- Cost or quota implications of using IonQ devices through this integration
Package facts
| License | Apache-2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.11.0 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 2 packagesrequestscirq-core |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 46 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 155,344 / month, #10,822 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: EducationIntended Audience :: Science/ResearchOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Quantum ComputingTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTyping :: Typed |
Evidence: cirq_ionq-1.7.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also cirq-aqt · cirq-google · cirq-pasqal · cirq-core · qiskit-ionq · cirq-web · cirq · openfermion · qiskit · openfermionpyscf