Learning More about Quantum Computing
A compendium of resources to help you on your quantum journey - Originally posted March 7, 2022, refreshed and revised April 7, 2025.
As I’ve interacted with readers of the Quantum Leap, I’m continually awed by the diversity and openness of so many of the folks involved in the Quantum Computing (QC) field. However, I still find that many people are put off or intimidated by the concepts covered. While I have tried to orient my posts so that non-technical readers can still benefit, it seems that many well intended, intelligent readers are still baffled by most things “Quantum”. And while I don’t have a monopoly on the best learning resources, I’ve been on a long and deep dive in my own quantum journey, so wanted to provide links to some resources to help readers accelerate their own quantum educations. Some of these resources are a bit “old” by quantum computing standards, but nonetheless still convey the information in an approachable and digestible way.
In addition, I’ll provide some guidance as follows:
Easy items include topics where ZERO math, physics or prior technical knowledge is needed.
Moderate items provide a bit more technical detail but should be approachable for those intellectually curious enough to dig in a bit deeper. Many refer to some advanced concepts such as Entanglement and Superposition, but no formal math or physics training is required to understand the fundamental details.
Advanced items will be reserved for resources that are more technical in nature and/or would take a longer time to get through.
Some particularly valuable resources are called out with blue bars in the list below.
Finally, there are a plethora of resources available on the Internet including articles, podcasts, blogs, interactive learning resources, classes, lectures, seminars, academic papers, etc., so I will also point out a variety of resources and media. Fortunately, there are many resources, delivered in a variety of ways, so I encourage you to try a few and if they don’t resonate or feel helpful, skip to the next one. I hope these items accelerate your understanding and spur further learning. Also, please join the chat and add your suggestions for great resources, which I’ll consider adding in a future update.
Essentials of Quantum Computing
For an EASY introduction, consider the following:
Articles: Of course I’m biased, but if you haven’t stumbled upon the Quantum Leap Beginner Guides, I’d encourage you to review those. They are short and approachable and hopefully lay a good foundation for further learning. There are six guides in this series, and they can all be found here.
Online Tutorial: QURECA.Com, “Quantum Computing for Dummies,” a nice, free, scrollable intro to Quantum, created by Carlos Sampler of QURECA.com on June 11, 2024. They also offer a companion course called “Quantum for Everyone 2.0” which I haven’t tried myself, but I’ve been impressed with their overall focus on helping people understand Quantum, so I expect it’s worthwhile, even for the $400 fee.
Resource Guide: There is also a set of beginner’s resources entitled “How to Start in Quantum Computing: A Beginner’s Guide from My Own Journey,” compiled by Gehad Salem, which he as posted on LinkedIn on January 30, 2025. Rather than try to explain these concepts himself, Gehad has archived some other resources with supplied hyperlinks.
Article: How to get started in quantum computing, Nature, by David Matthews, March 1, 2021: This was my starting point for jumping into the QC world, which provides a good summation as well as a few more learning resources [a subscription may be required].
Article: What is quantum computing? Everything you need to know about the strange world of quantum computers, ZDNet, by Daphne Leprince-Ringuet, July 29, 2021: An excellent and approachable overview of the landscape with zero math or Greek notation.
Article: Commercializing quantum computers, The Economist, September 26, 2020: Another approachable summary article [a subscription or free trial may be required].
Online Tutorial: LinkedIn Learning “Introduction to Quantum Computing” is a relatively brief set of videos and interactive quizzes covers a broad range of introductory concepts in a mostly non-technical way [a LinkedIn account may be required].
Book: Quantum Computing: How it works, and why it could change the world, my Amit Katwala, published in 2021 by Wired magazine: No graphs, equations, physics or algebra, just a common language overview.
Article: QC companies of 2025: Guide based on 4 ecosystem maps, by Cem Dilmegani, published in AI Multiple, December 17, 2019, and updated Jan. 6, 2025: A good summary of extracts from BCG, Tracxn, Everest Group and Tractics. There are also a number of hyperlinks to additional details.
Article: Commercial applications of quantum computing, by Francesco Bova, Avi Goldfarb and Roger Melko, EPJ Quantum Technology, 2021: Another good summary article also with an extensive list of hyperlinked endnotes.
Article: Quantum Software Development Kits in 2025, by Cem Dilmegani, published in AI Multiple, April 11, 2021, and updated Jan. 6, 2025: A short but dense listing of the key players in QC software development.
Article: Eight ways quantum computing is going to change the world, by Daphne Leprince-Ringuet, ZDNet, December 21, 2021: Plain language descriptions of some key applications of QC.
For a more Moderate introduction, the following are included largely because they are longer and therefore take more time to review. They contain some intermediate concepts but are generally still introductory and should be readable to nearly anyone curious about QC:
Research Piece: The Next Decade in Quantum Computing – and How to Play, by Philipp Gerbert and Frank Ruess, Boston Consulting Group, November 2018: a good overview including some technical details and potential use cases.
Research Piece: The Coming Quantum Leap in Computing, by Anant Thaker and Suhare Adam, Boston Consulting Group, May 16, 2018: Mostly non-math oriented although there are some graphics depicting speedup, which some intermediate math concepts. That said, you should be able to absorb the full content without any math background.
Research Piece: What Happens When ‘If’ Turns to ‘When’ in Quantum Computing, by Jean-Francois Bobier, Matt Langione, Edward Tao, and Antoine Gourevitch, Boston Consulting Group, July 2021: Another good overview with use cases and some details on various hardware approaches where math is not required.
Research Compendium: McKinsey has printed a series of summaries on the Quantum industry and their 3rd annual Quantum Technology Monitor was published April 24, 2024. The full report is 103 pages, but well worth investigating. For those with less patience (or time) they also have a 7-page executive summary which you can see here.
Research Piece: Quantum computing: An emerging ecosystem and industry use cases, McKinsey & Company, December 2021: Another broad overview with details on players and use cases, heavy on details but light on math.
Research Piece: Economic-technological revolution through Quantum 2.0: New super technologies are within reach, by Dr. Hermann Rapp, Deutsche Bank, December 17, 2021: A detailed compendium broadly covering QC with very modest levels of technical details or math.
Article: Inside the race to build the best quantum computer on earth, by Gideon Lichfield, MIT Technology Review, February 26, 2020: A broad overview with a deep dive into IBM’s QC history.
Article: What is Quantum Computing, CB Insights, January 7, 2021: A good mix of some modest technical details and examples along with a broad overview of use cases.
Online Tutorial: Q-CTRL’s Black Opal, a hands-on tutorial with excellent visualizations and short sessions. There is also a fantastic “Practice” section which is a very visual tool for understanding how gates act on qubits (including animations). There are three “beginner” modules on Superposition, Qubits and Measurement which I have included here as “intermediate” level. There are also more advanced levels [I believe some modules are free while other may require a subscription].
Online Tutorial: edX has a great site where many of the go-at-your-own-pace classes are from major universities, often with the ability to sit through the course for free or pay and receive a completion certificate. There is a nice intro put out by the University of Chicago called “Introduction to Quantum Computing for Everyone” which starts with some broad concepts and eventually gets to actual hands-on algorithm construction.
YouTube: “ScienceClic English” is a fantastic series of short-ish (15-20 minutes each) videos with amazing graphics. If you’re a visual learner, like me, this is a great resource. There are 100’s of videos on all manner of physics and science, but there are some playlists including one with 13 videos on quantum, which is what is linked to above.
YouTube: “Quantum Computing, Software and Tech” by Anastasia Marchenkova: A charming and approachable series of short videos on various introductory topics and concepts.
Book: Quantum Excellence, by Brian Lenahan, published 2022: A good intro book covering the basics especially from the point-of-view of how companies might use quantum technologies.
And here are more advanced introductions. While you don’t need formal linear algebra or physics backgrounds, these get a more technical and introduce some rudimentary linear algebra in the context of describing qubit gates.
Online Book: “Understanding Quantum Technologies,” is a self-published book by Olivier Ezratty is a wonder in scope and reach. Olivier first published this in 2021 as a free 838 in-depth dive provided digitally (PDF). It’s truly remarkable and the 2024 version is now 1,554 pages, covering all manner of quantum including computing, sensing, cryptography and networking. There are fantastic graphics and a ton of references to other materials. There is also a 26-page shortened version. If you’d like to have a copy on your bookshelf, you can also buy a printed version via Amazon.
Article: The Need, Promise and Reality of Quantum Computing, by Jason Roell, published in Medium February 1, 2018: Some good introductions to exponential speed-up, details on qubits, superposition and entanglement and quantum volume.
Article: Quantum Computing, by Sarvesh Patil, published in Medium May 16, 2021: Dense but strong overview.
Book: Quantum Computing: An Applied Approach, by Jack D. Hidary, published 2019: a great foundational overview with a practical approach to programming and detailed appendices focusing on the QC-specific applications of linear algebra. There is a more recent new addition as well as a great companion GitHub site (http://github.com/jackhidary/quantumcomputingbook).
Book: Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, by Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang, 10th Edition published 2010: This is one of the most cited books in physics of all time and is a standard college course textbook often referred to as “Mike & Ike”. I have not read this yet but hope to this year, and include it based on its nearly-universal mention by advanced QC users.
Online Tutorial: Quantum County, by Andy Matuschak and Michael Nielson (of “Mike & Ike” fame), has a novel and engaging method of introducing complex quantum principles including their own “mnemonic” approach which they hope will help users retain the information longer. While this is included in the “advanced” section of this post, I highly recommend this for readers with some basic working understanding of quantum mechanics.
Additional Resources
In addition to the articles, research pieces, on-line tutorials and books noted above, here are a few more places to continue your QC education:
Podcasts
[Note: The hyperlinks below take you to the Apple podcasts program, however most are available at your favorite podcast platform; thank you QuEra for the descriptions used below]
"The Superposition Guy’s Podcast" is hosted by Yuval Boger, who conducts weekly interviews of quantum computing researchers, developers, and enthusiasts. The show aims to demystify quantum computing concepts and discuss practical applications, industry trends, and the latest research developments. Yuval is a quantum professional walking the walk, and he brings his experience to bear with intelligent and probing questions. Each episode provides insights from experts in the field, making quantum computing accessible and engaging for listeners with varying levels of familiarity with the subject (and for an added treat, make sure to check out his interview of yours truly, quite early in my quantum odyssey).
“The Post-Quantum World” presented bi-weekly by Protiviti, explores quantum computing and its business implications. Host Konstantinos Karagiannis engages with experts to discuss the benefits, threats, and real-world applications of quantum technologies, aiming to demystify the subject for technology and business leaders.
"The Quantum Spin" is a bi-weekly podcast focused on the intersection of quantum technology and marketing communications. Hosted by Veronica Combs, a quantum tech editor and PR professional at HKA Marketing Communications, the podcast features interviews and discussions with industry experts, providing insights into the latest developments, challenges, and strategies in the quantum tech sector. Topics range from industry trends and quantum mechanics milestones to business strategies for leveraging quantum technologies.
"Entangled Things" is a semi-monthly podcast that delves into the world of quantum computing, featuring conversations between a quantum computing enthusiast and a security expert. Hosted by Patrick Hynds and Ciprian Jichici, the podcast explores how quantum computing intersects with various fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity. Each episode offers insights into the current and future impacts of quantum technologies.
"The New Quantum Era" hosted by Sebastian Hassinger and Kevin Rowney, podcast features interviews with research scientists, software developers, and engineers who are actively exploring the possibilities of quantum computing, networking, and sensing. The show focuses on making complex quantum concepts accessible to non-physicists, covering hardware, algorithms, and general theory, while also providing context for the terminology and the evolving history of quantum technology.
Aggregators
The Quantum Insider, led by Alex Challans and Evan Kubes, is a great starting point for general QC information and includes directories of Companies, Investors, Funding Rounds, Universities, Government Entities and Quantum Users among other details. Much of their content is behind a firewall, but they often put out free summaries or highlights.
Quantum Computing Report, put out by Doug Finke, is another aggregator that includes deep dives on players (segregated by Public Companies, Private Companies, Universities, Government and Venture) and hardware scorecards. Doug is a key intermediary in the quantum realm, and he is available for a variety of consulting assistance. He has also partnered David Shaw and Andre Konig to form Global Quantum Intelligence (GQI), which has its own set of content available by subscription.
Inside Quantum Technology News, IQT has a robust website, news aggregation and also hosts period industry events, like the upcoming IQT Nordics May 20-22 in Gothenburg, Sweden and Q+AI Oct 19-21 in New York City. Their pithy and entertaining “Quantum Dragon” created by Brian Siegelwax, is a great way to stay current on news and events, and they had some excellent podcasts (although seem to have discontinued them in September 2024).
The Qubit Report – “Because Quantum is Coming”, is another news aggregator with its finger on the pulse of current events, research, cybersecurity, software, business and technology among other important QC developments. Their regular LinkedIn posts are a great way to stay current on evolving events and announcements.
Quantum Strategy Institute, led by Brian Lenahan, has a lot of good content including position papers and links and is focused on connecting customers with its network of cross-domain experts to provide consulting services.
Linear Algebra
The bad news is that in order to really understand and appreciate the power of QC, some basic linear algebra is required. This is especially true when trying to understand how gates manipulate qubits. While you don’t need to be an expert in all aspects of linear algebra, a working understanding of vectors, scalars, dot products (and orthogonal bases), matrix addition, matrix multiplication, eigenvalues and tensor products will enable a clearer understanding of gates and quantum algorithms. The good news is there are a ton of good resources available for self-learning. Here are two particularly good ones:
3Blue1Brown: a series of video lessons with excellent graphics to help visualize the concepts. The animation engine behind the graphics is a fantastic tool.
Khan Academy: Another resource for video lessons, with accompanying practice questions.
Disclosure: I have no beneficial positions in stocks mentioned in this review, nor do I have any business relationship with any company mentioned in this post. I wrote this article myself and express it as my own opinion.
Wow! What a wonderfully comprehensive resource!