qiskit-ionq
Qiskit provider for IonQ backends
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need to run Qiskit circuits on IonQ hardware or simulators. The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries a permissive license, and integrates cleanly with Qiskit's standard patterns. Requires an IonQ API token and Python 3.10+; no known security vulnerabilities.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires an IonQ API access token, obtainable from https://cloud.ionq.com/settings/keys; alternatively can be set via IONQ_API_KEY or IONQ_API_TOKEN environment variables.
- Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution.
- Active maintenance with a recent release (70 days ago) and ongoing repository commits.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache 2.0 (permissive) — Apache 2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, typical for open-source quantum computing tools.
last release 2026-06-05 (70 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 62 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 75,504 downloads/mo, #14,705 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install qiskit-ionq
from qiskit_ionq import IonQProvider
from qiskit import QuantumCircuit
provider = IonQProvider("your_api_token")
backend = provider.get_backend("ionq_simulator")
qc = QuantumCircuit(2, 2)
qc.h(0)
qc.cx(0, 1)
qc.measure([0, 1], [0, 1])
job = backend.run(qc)
print(job.result().get_counts())- Whether IonQ API token acquisition process is straightforward for new users
- Performance characteristics when submitting large circuits or high shot counts
- Supported gate sets and transpilation limitations beyond what the excerpt describes
What it is and what it does
Qiskit IonQ Provider is a Qiskit backend plugin that connects quantum circuits to IonQ's ion trap quantum computers and simulators. It abstracts IonQ's REST API behind Qiskit's standard backend interface, allowing developers to write circuits in Qiskit and execute them on IonQ hardware or simulators without managing API calls directly.
The provider supports core quantum operations including mid-circuit measurements, qubit reuse, error mitigation strategies (debiasing), per-shot memory retrieval, and dry-run compilation for inspecting post-compilation circuits before execution. It handles circuit transpilation to IonQ's supported gate set and integrates with Qiskit's standard job submission and result retrieval patterns.
Use it for
- Execute Qiskit quantum circuits on IonQ's ion trap QPUs for production quantum computing workloads
- Test and prototype quantum algorithms using IonQ's simulator backend before running on hardware
- Inspect compiled circuits and estimate gate counts via dry-run mode without incurring execution costs
- Retrieve per-shot measurement outcomes for statistical analysis of quantum algorithm results
- Implement error mitigation techniques like debiasing on IonQ backends within Qiskit workflows
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need to run Qiskit circuits on IonQ hardware or simulators.
The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries a permissive license, and integrates cleanly with Qiskit's standard patterns. Requires an IonQ API token and Python 3.10+; no known security vulnerabilities.
Install
qiskit-ionq on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution. Active maintenance with a recent release (70 days ago) and ongoing repository commits. Five runtime dependencies are all standard Python packages.
Requires an IonQ API access token, obtainable from https://cloud.ionq.com/settings/keys; alternatively can be set via IONQ_API_KEY or IONQ_API_TOKEN environment variables.
License in practice
Apache 2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, typical for open-source quantum computing tools.
Quickstart
pip install qiskit-ionq
from qiskit_ionq import IonQProvider
from qiskit import QuantumCircuit
provider = IonQProvider("your_api_token")
backend = provider.get_backend("ionq_simulator")
qc = QuantumCircuit(2, 2)
qc.h(0)
qc.cx(0, 1)
qc.measure([0, 1], [0, 1])
job = backend.run(qc)
print(job.result().get_counts())Verify before relying
- Whether IonQ API token acquisition process is straightforward for new users
- Performance characteristics when submitting large circuits or high shot counts
- Supported gate sets and transpilation limitations beyond what the excerpt describes
Package facts
| License | Apache 2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 5 packagesqiskitdecoratorrequestsimportlib-metadatapython-dotenv |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 70 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 75,504 / month, #14,705 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/ResearchLicense :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software LicenseOperating 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 :: 3.13Topic :: Scientific/Engineering |
Evidence: qiskit_ionq-1.1.1-py3-none-any.whl
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See also qiskit · qiskit-connector · cirq-ionq · qiskit-aer · qiskit-ibm-runtime · qiskit-qasm3-import · cirq-aqt · qiskit-terra · cirq-core · amazon-braket-default-simulator