This page collects course links, references, tools, hardware access, and fun project material for the practical quantum course.
Use [[Source Reading Guide]] for how to pair sources with concept notes. Use [[Review Questions]] for a compact review pass. Use this page when you need a reference, simulator, hardware provider, or optional extension path.
## Primary Texts
- Scott Aaronson, [Introduction to Quantum Information Science lecture notes](https://www.scottaaronson.com/qclec.pdf)
- Scott Aaronson, [Quantum Computing since Democritus](https://www.scottaaronson.com/democritus/)
## Optional References
- N. David Mermin, *Quantum Computer Science: An Introduction*
- Thomas Wong, [Introduction to Quantum and Classical Computing](http://www.thomaswong.net/)
- Ryan O'Donnell, [15-859BB: Quantum Computation and Information](https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~odonnell/quantum15/)
- Scott Aaronson, [MIT 6.845 materials](https://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/6/fa14/6.845/materials.html)
- Scott Aaronson, [Barbados 2016 lecture notes](https://www.scottaaronson.com/barbados-2016.pdf)
- John Watrous, [Quantum Computation lecture notes](https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/~watrous/QC-notes/)
## Core Concept Seed Notes
These were called out as especially important starter topics:
- [[concepts/Separable vs. Entangled States]]
- [[concepts/Entanglement Entropy]]
- [[concepts/Pure vs. Mixed States]]
## Blogs And Commentary
- Scott Aaronson, [Shtetl-Optimized](https://scottaaronson.blog/)
- [Quantum Advantage Tracker](https://quantum-advantage-tracker.github.io/)
- [IBM Quantum Blog](https://www.ibm.com/quantum/blog/)
- [Google Quantum AI learning map](https://quantumai.google/learn/map)
## Software Frameworks
Use the tools for different teaching jobs rather than treating them as interchangeable.
## Companion Code
- [quantum-code repository](https://github.com/montekkundan/quantum-code): planned public home for the runnable notebooks, tested helpers, Q# comparison lane, assignments, and notebook smoke checks.
- [COURSE_MAP.md](https://github.com/montekkundan/quantum-code/blob/main/COURSE_MAP.md): lecture-to-code map.
- [[Quantum Code Map]]: local Obsidian map from concept notes to notebooks, helpers, and tests.
- [[Final Capstone Workflow]]: final-project rubric and evidence checklist.
- [animations/](https://github.com/montekkundan/quantum-code/tree/main/animations): Manim source.
- [capstone/](https://github.com/montekkundan/quantum-code/tree/main/capstone): project workflow and report template.
| Tool | Best course use |
| --- | --- |
| [IBM Quantum Learning](https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/learning/en) | primary Qiskit path, classroom modules, IBM hardware workflow |
| [PennyLane demos](https://pennylane.ai/qml/demonstrations) | variational algorithms, QML, resource-estimation demos, paper-based examples |
| [Google Quantum AI resources](https://quantumai.google/resources) | ecosystem learning maps and hardware-aware context |
| [Classiq insights](https://www.classiq.io/insights#Algorithms) | algorithm-design examples and high-level circuit synthesis context |
| [Q-CTRL Black Opal](https://q-ctrl.com/black-opal) | visual intuition, controls, and learning modules |
| [NVIDIA CUDA-Q](https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-q) | accelerated simulation, hybrid workflows, Hamiltonian and tensor-network extensions |
| [QuTiP](https://qutip.org/) | density matrices, Hamiltonians, open systems, and noise models |
## Simulators And Hardware Access
### Real Hardware Access
- [IBM Quantum Platform](https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/)
- [Amazon Braket](https://aws.amazon.com/braket/) for access to multiple hardware providers and managed quantum workflows
### Simulators
- Scott Aaronson, [CHP stabilizer simulator](https://www.scottaaronson.com/chp/)
- [CUDA-Q documentation](https://nvidia.github.io/cuda-quantum/latest/index.html)
- [Les Houches Lecture Notes on Tensor Networks](https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.24390)
### Hardware Pathways
- Superconducting qubits: [UC Berkeley EE290 notes](https://qudev.notion.site/ee290), [Qiskit Metal](https://qiskit-community.github.io/qiskit-metal/)
- Trapped ions: [IonQ documentation](https://docs.ionq.com/)
- Neutral atoms: [Pasqal Pulser](https://github.com/pasqal-io/Pulser), [QuEra Bloqade](https://www.quera.com/bloqade)
## Suggested Articles And Papers
- [A simplified version of the quantum OTOC$^{(2)}$ problem](https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.19751)
- Ewin Tang, [blog post](https://ewintang.com/blog/2025/04/22/open/)
- [Les Houches Lecture Notes on Tensor Networks](https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.24390)
## Video Lectures And Playlists
- [MITx 8.370.1x](https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+8.370.1x+1T2018/about)
- [MITx 8.370.2x](https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+8.370.2x+1T2018/about)
- [MITx 8.370.3x](https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+8.370.3x+1T2018/about)
- [MITx 8.371.1x](https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+8.371.1x+2T2018/about)
- [MITx 8.371.2x](https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+8.371.2x+2T2018/about)
- [MITx 8.371.3x](https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+8.371.3x+2T2018/about)
- [MIT OCW 6.845 Quantum Complexity Theory](https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-845-quantum-complexity-theory-fall-2010/)
## Hackathon And Fun Projects
- BlueQubit, [Quantum Advantage Challenge](https://www.bluequbit.io/quantum-advantage-challenge)
## Review Material
Use [[Review Questions]] first. Then use these checks to test whether a concept note is teachable:
**Can I answer the note's study checks without looking?** If not, reread the source section in [[Source Reading Guide]], then write a one-paragraph explanation before trying the lab.
**Can I connect the math to a runnable tool?** For each concept, pick one of Qiskit, QuTiP, PennyLane, CUDA-Q, or a stabilizer simulator and state what observable, runtime, entropy, circuit depth, or error rate you would measure.