Review, "Quantum computing with Python and IBM Quantum" (Packt, 2025)

Quantum is fascinating and I enjoy every opportunity to learn about the process.? “ Quantum Computing with Python and IBM Quantum, 2nd Ed” ( Packt , 2025) by Robert Loredo revises the earlier book and makes excellent use of the IBM Quantum platform.? The book is chock-full of examples direct from the website making it easy to understand and follow the samples on a separate screen as one reads.? Each chapter includes an assessment, and the journey begins with quantum basics, expands into some Qiskit fundamentals, and finishes with detailed discussions on reducing noise and implementing algorithms.

Normally, early chapters just revisit basic skills. In this case, the first two chapters are a deep dive into the IBM Quantum platform.? I really enjoyed using the platform, following along, and the ease of taking my coded samples onto an actual quantum computer.? One warning: playing with samples and repetitions can easily lead to charges, and although .001 cents per execution may seem low when the algorithms run upwards of 10,000 executions on average, prices can stack up quickly.? Just make sure to keep yourself in the free mode or charge to the corporate learning budget.??

Once installing and configuring Qiskit is covered, the subjects rapidly turn to understanding and building various quantum circuits with the tools.? Qiskit is an open-source software development kit (SDK) to create, manipulate and run quantum programs on IBM simulators.? I’ve also used Q#, QCL, and Silq but Qiskit is specifically designed for the IBM suite, making it extremely useful.? The Qiskit tool splits coding into three areas: developer, algorithm, and model.? Each has different advantages in places based on what one intends the code to accomplish.??

One of my favorite blocks was the section on optimization and noise mitigation.? Normally, when running code, noise and decoherence effects are ignored as one concentrates solely on the coded expression. When running on a quantum simulator, these effects are negligible.? However, since the IBM kit allows running on hardware, understanding noise effects can be essential. One of the keys to a cost-effective quantum program is to run as many simulations on classical versions as possible to minimize the need for error correction on the more expensive machines.? These chapters emphasize how the Qiskit coding model for mapping, optimizing, executing and post-process excels at identifying sources of noise before reaching the actual machine.

An area I liked and disliked about the book was the large number of graphics.? These are an essential part of learning, but at times, they also felt overwhelming.? On average, graphics are about 40% of each chapter, with code as another 20-30%.? Depending on your learning style, this approach can be positive or negative.? The graphics tie tightly to the IBM platform but there are some spots where a little more explanation of what was happening may have been beneficial.?

Overall, Quantum Computing with Python and IBM Quantum, 2nd Ed” (Packt, 2025) by Robert Loredo is an excellent improvement to the first edition, which was published in 2020.? It revisits all the needed essentials, shows how tools have improved, and highlights changes.? Chapter 10, on suppressing and mitigating quantum noise, was completely new as the technology moved from theoretical applications to actually working with Qiskit to resolve issues.? Overall, if you are doing any type of quantum programming, or just interested in getting started, this makes an excellent reference for your shelf.?

Dr. Mark Peters is a leader, metrics guru, and strategist responsible for product management by integrating theoretical and physical options into tailored customer deliveries. Self-styled DevOps junkie, he recently published “Confident DevOps” (2024, Kogan Page. He served 22 years as a US Air Force Intelligence officer on everything from fighters and drones to satellites.? He holds multiple certifications, a cybersecurity expert, a Ph.D. in Information Technology (Capella), and a Strategic Security Doctorate (Henley-Putnam). He authored "Cashing in on Cyberpower" analyzing a decade of cyber-attacks, and has a forthcoming book,? “Mastering Enterprise Platform Engineering” (Packt, Apr-2025). ? A frequent reviewer for industry-leading books, he has written 100+ reviews and articles.