qiskit
An open-source SDK for working with quantum computers at the level of extended quantum circuits, operators, and primitives.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Qiskit is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, supports Python 3.10–3.14, and is the standard entry point for quantum circuit programming in Python. Install it if you're learning quantum computing, prototyping algorithms, or need to integrate with quantum hardware ecosystems. Medium install friction is typical for scientific packages with compiled components.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later; Rust compiler needed only for building from source, not for pip installation.
- Medium install friction due to compiled wheels for multiple platforms (macOS, Linux, Windows, ARM).
- Active maintenance with release 1 day ago and 7706 repository stars.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache-2.0 (permissive) — Apache-2.0 permissive license allows free use, modification, and distribution in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-08-13 (1 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 7,706 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,462,854 downloads/mo, #3,879 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install qiskit
from qiskit import QuantumCircuit
import numpy as np
qc = QuantumCircuit(3)
qc.h(0)
qc.p(np.pi / 2, 0)
qc.cx(0, 1)
qc.cx(0, 2)- Performance characteristics and simulation limits for large quantum circuits
- Integration requirements with specific quantum hardware providers beyond documented examples
What it is and what it does
Qiskit is a Python SDK for quantum computing that lets you define quantum circuits using standard gates (Hadamard, CNOT, phase gates), compose them into larger programs, and execute them on simulators or real quantum hardware. The core library provides QuantumCircuit for circuit construction, quantum operators and information toolbox for advanced state manipulation, and two main execution primitives: Sampler (for sampling measurement outcomes) and Estimator (for computing expectation values of observables). It also includes a transpiler that optimizes and maps circuits to specific hardware constraints like basis gates and qubit connectivity.
The library depends on numpy, scipy, rustworkx, dill, stevedore, and typing-extensions. It exposes both a Python API (primary interface) and a C API for lower-level access to Qiskit's Rust-based internal data model. Typical workflows involve building a circuit, optionally transpiling it for target hardware, and running it through a primitive to get results. For scaling beyond classical simulation, you connect to real quantum hardware through provider packages that implement the BaseSamplerV2 and BaseEstimatorV2 interfaces.
Use it for
- Design and simulate quantum algorithms locally using statevector simulation before running on real hardware
- Optimize quantum circuits for specific hardware constraints using the transpiler with custom basis gates and coupling maps
- Compute expectation values of quantum observables using the Estimator primitive for variational algorithms
- Sample measurement outcomes from quantum circuits to study probability distributions and quantum state properties
- Build entangled states and test quantum phenomena like GHZ states in a controlled environment
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Qiskit is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, supports Python 3.10–3.14, and is the standard entry point for quantum circuit programming in Python. Install it if you're learning quantum computing, prototyping algorithms, or need to integrate with quantum hardware ecosystems. Medium install friction is typical for scientific packages with compiled components.
Install
qiskit on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled wheels for multiple platforms (macOS, Linux, Windows, ARM). Active maintenance with release 1 day ago and 7706 repository stars. Requires Python 3.10 or later.
Requires Python 3.10 or later; Rust compiler needed only for building from source, not for pip installation.
License in practice
Apache-2.0 permissive license allows free use, modification, and distribution in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install qiskit
from qiskit import QuantumCircuit
import numpy as np
qc = QuantumCircuit(3)
qc.h(0)
qc.p(np.pi / 2, 0)
qc.cx(0, 1)
qc.cx(0, 2)Verify before relying
- Performance characteristics and simulation limits for large quantum circuits
- Integration requirements with specific quantum hardware providers beyond documented examples
Package facts
| License | Apache-2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 6 packagesnumpyscipyrustworkxdillstevedoretyping-extensions |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 1 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,462,854 / month, #3,879 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Environment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Science/ResearchOperating System :: MacOSOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: Scientific/Engineering |
Evidence: qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-macosx_10_12_x86_64.whl; qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_28_ppc64le.whl; qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_28_s390x.whl; qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; qiskit-2.5.2-cp310-abi3-win_amd64.whl
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See also mqt.qcec · qiskit-aer · qiskit-algorithms · qiskit-connector · qiskit-experiments · qiskit-ibm-runtime · qiskit-ionq · qiskit-qasm3-import · qiskit-terra · samplomatic