This book is an introduction to quantum computing from the perspective of a classical programmer. Most concepts are explained with code, based on the insight that much of the complicated-looking math typically found in quantum computing may look quite simple in code. For many programmers, reading code is faster than reading complex math notation. Coding also allows experimentation, which helps with building intuition and understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of quantum computing.

This introductory chapter details the methodology used in this book and provides an overview of the major chapters. It suggests two alternative paths through the text, one with a focus on algorithms, the other focusing on infrastructure and simulation.