Quipper language makes quantum computers easier to program

July 8, 2013

Quantum teleportation code in Quipper and circuit diagram (credit: Alexander S. Green et al.)

Quantum software has finally left the dark ages with the creation of the first practical, high-level programming language for quantum computers. Called Quipper, it could guide the design of quantum computers and make them easier to program, New Scientist reports.

Quipper is based on a classical programming language called Haskell, which is particularly suited to programming for physics applications. Selinger’s team has customized it to deal with qubits and has produced a library of Quipper code to carry out seven existing quantum algorithms.

The code is incompatible with D-Wave quantum computers.