Quantum Serverless Paradigm and Application Development using the QFaaS Framework

Abstract: Quantum computing has the potential to solve complex problems beyond the capabilities of classical computers. However, its practical use is currently limited due to early-stage quantum software engineering and the constraints of Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices. To address this issue, this chapter introduces the concept of serverless quantum computing with examples using QFaaS, a practical Quantum Function-as-a-Service framework. This framework utilizes the serverless computing model to simplify quantum application development and deployment by abstracting the complexities of quantum hardware and enhancing application portability across different quantum software development kits and quantum backends. The chapter provides comprehensive documentation and guidelines for deploying and using QFaaS, detailing the setup, component deployment, and examples of service-oriented quantum applications. This framework offers a promising approach to overcoming current limitations and advancing the practical software engineering of quantum computing.