Quantum Country Tutorials

In this series of essays, Michael Nielsen introduces quantum computing concepts in a technical, yet accessible manner. The reader need only come in with knowledge of basic linear algebra. They are presented in a new “mnemonic medium” that is designed to help the reader effortlessly remember new concepts. Developed in collaboration with Andy Matuschak.

quantum computing for the very curious

“This essay explains how quantum computers work. It’s not a survey essay, or a popularization based on hand-wavy analogies. We’re going to dig down deep so you understand the details of quantum computing. Along the way, we’ll also learn the basic principles of quantum mechanics, since those are required to understand quantum computation.” - Michael Nielsen

how the quantum search algorithm works

“The essay explains, in detail, how a quantum computer can be used to search a large search space much, much faster than a conventional classical computer. The essay isn't just about search, though - it's about learning to think in the quantum realm, and understanding what it takes to find a quantum algorithm which outperforms any possible classical algorithm.” - Michael Nielsen