How a Quantum Computing System Works: From Qubits to Algorithms
Quantum computing is often described in headlines as “the next revolution,” but the way a quantum computer actually works is very different from the hype. To understand it properly, you need to see it as a stacked system — starting from fragile physical qubits and moving all the way up to algorithms that must survive real-world noise. Most people encounter quantum computers the same way I have: not inside a physics lab, but through cloud-accessible devices and simulators . That perspective — working with real hardware constraints through software — reveals what quantum computing truly is today: powerful in theory, delicate in practice, and deeply constrained by engineering realities. Let’s walk through the system from the ground up. 1. The Foundation: What a Qubit Really Is A classical bit is binary: 0 or 1. A qubit is described by a quantum state: ∣ψ⟩=α∣0⟩+β∣1⟩|\psi\rangle = \alpha|0\rangle + \beta|1\rangle∣ψ⟩=α∣0⟩+β∣1⟩ where α and β are complex probability amplitudes ,...