Add support for PennyLane: a cross-platform library for quantum computing, quantum machine learning, and quantum chemistry.

scientific-skills/pennylane/references/getting_started.md

@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+# Getting Started with PennyLane
+
+## What is PennyLane?
+
+PennyLane is a cross-platform Python library for quantum computing, quantum machine learning, and quantum chemistry. It enables training quantum computers like neural networks through automatic differentiation and seamless integration with classical machine learning frameworks.
+
+## Installation
+
+Install PennyLane using uv:
+
+```bash
+uv pip install pennylane
+```
+
+For specific device plugins (IBM, Amazon Braket, Google, Rigetti, etc.):
+
+```bash
+# IBM Qiskit
+uv pip install pennylane-qiskit
+
+# Amazon Braket
+uv pip install amazon-braket-pennylane-plugin
+
+# Google Cirq
+uv pip install pennylane-cirq
+
+# Rigetti
+uv pip install pennylane-rigetti
+```
+
+## Core Concepts
+
+### Quantum Nodes (QNodes)
+
+A QNode is a quantum function that can be evaluated on a quantum device. It combines a quantum circuit definition with a device:
+
+```python
+import pennylane as qml
+
+# Define a device
+dev = qml.device('default.qubit', wires=2)
+
+# Create a QNode
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def circuit(params):
+    qml.RX(params[0], wires=0)
+    qml.RY(params[1], wires=1)
+    qml.CNOT(wires=[0, 1])
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0))
+```
+
+### Devices
+
+Devices execute quantum circuits. PennyLane supports:
+- **Simulators**: `default.qubit`, `default.mixed`, `lightning.qubit`
+- **Hardware**: Access through plugins (IBM, Amazon Braket, Rigetti, etc.)
+
+```python
+# Local simulator
+dev = qml.device('default.qubit', wires=4)
+
+# Lightning high-performance simulator
+dev = qml.device('lightning.qubit', wires=10)
+```
+
+### Measurements
+
+PennyLane supports various measurement types:
+
+```python
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def measure_circuit():
+    qml.Hadamard(wires=0)
+    # Expectation value
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0))
+
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def measure_probs():
+    qml.Hadamard(wires=0)
+    # Probability distribution
+    return qml.probs(wires=[0, 1])
+
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def measure_samples():
+    qml.Hadamard(wires=0)
+    # Sample measurements
+    return qml.sample(qml.PauliZ(0))
+```
+
+## Basic Workflow
+
+### 1. Build a Circuit
+
+```python
+import pennylane as qml
+import numpy as np
+
+dev = qml.device('default.qubit', wires=3)
+
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def quantum_circuit(weights):
+    # Apply gates
+    qml.RX(weights[0], wires=0)
+    qml.RY(weights[1], wires=1)
+    qml.CNOT(wires=[0, 1])
+    qml.RZ(weights[2], wires=2)
+
+    # Measure
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0) @ qml.PauliZ(1))
+```
+
+### 2. Compute Gradients
+
+```python
+# Automatic differentiation
+grad_fn = qml.grad(quantum_circuit)
+weights = np.array([0.1, 0.2, 0.3])
+gradients = grad_fn(weights)
+```
+
+### 3. Optimize Parameters
+
+```python
+from pennylane import numpy as np
+
+# Define optimizer
+opt = qml.GradientDescentOptimizer(stepsize=0.1)
+
+# Optimization loop
+weights = np.array([0.1, 0.2, 0.3], requires_grad=True)
+for i in range(100):
+    weights = opt.step(quantum_circuit, weights)
+    if i % 20 == 0:
+        print(f"Step {i}: Cost = {quantum_circuit(weights)}")
+```
+
+## Device-Independent Programming
+
+Write circuits once, run anywhere:
+
+```python
+# Same circuit, different backends
+@qml.qnode(qml.device('default.qubit', wires=2))
+def circuit_simulator(x):
+    qml.RX(x, wires=0)
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0))
+
+# Switch to hardware (if available)
+@qml.qnode(qml.device('qiskit.ibmq', wires=2))
+def circuit_hardware(x):
+    qml.RX(x, wires=0)
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0))
+```
+
+## Common Patterns
+
+### Parameterized Circuits
+
+```python
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def parameterized_circuit(params, x):
+    # Encode data
+    qml.RX(x, wires=0)
+
+    # Apply parameterized layers
+    for param in params:
+        qml.RY(param, wires=0)
+        qml.CNOT(wires=[0, 1])
+
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0))
+```
+
+### Circuit Templates
+
+Use built-in templates for common patterns:
+
+```python
+from pennylane.templates import StronglyEntanglingLayers
+
+@qml.qnode(dev)
+def template_circuit(weights):
+    StronglyEntanglingLayers(weights, wires=range(3))
+    return qml.expval(qml.PauliZ(0))
+
+# Generate random weights for template
+n_layers = 2
+n_wires = 3
+shape = StronglyEntanglingLayers.shape(n_layers, n_wires)
+weights = np.random.random(shape)
+```
+
+## Debugging and Visualization
+
+### Print Circuit Structure
+
+```python
+print(qml.draw(circuit)(params))
+print(qml.draw_mpl(circuit)(params))  # Matplotlib visualization
+```
+
+### Inspect Operations
+
+```python
+with qml.tape.QuantumTape() as tape:
+    qml.Hadamard(wires=0)
+    qml.CNOT(wires=[0, 1])
+
+print(tape.operations)
+print(tape.measurements)
+```
+
+## Next Steps
+
+For detailed information on specific topics:
+- **Building circuits**: See `references/quantum_circuits.md`
+- **Quantum ML**: See `references/quantum_ml.md`
+- **Chemistry applications**: See `references/quantum_chemistry.md`
+- **Device management**: See `references/devices_backends.md`
+- **Optimization**: See `references/optimization.md`
+- **Advanced features**: See `references/advanced_features.md`
+
+## Resources
+
+- Official docs: https://docs.pennylane.ai
+- Codebook: https://pennylane.ai/codebook
+- QML demos: https://pennylane.ai/qml/demonstrations
+- Community forum: https://discuss.pennylane.ai