pyquirk

A simple python program to convert graphical circuits to quantikz figures.

Demo

Requirements

• Python 3+
• quantikz: A LaTeX package for drawing quantum circuits. Here is its manual.

How to manually install a new package on MikTeX on Windows?

If you do not know how to manually install a new TeX package to your system, these links may be of some help to you.

• Windows with MikTeX
• Linux
• Mac with TeXShop

💾 Installation and Usage

Clone the repo for installing. pyquirk.py converts URL or JSON files to quantikz circuit directly. Both produce the same output; the usage is a matter of convenience.

Copy and paste the URL from Quirk(a toy quantum circuit simulator) or use the JSON data of your circuit and paste it into a .txt file as explained below. The output is formatted into a .tex file.

Usage

The options are as shown. You may see this by using python pyquirk.py -h

usage: pyquirk.py [-h] [-u URL | -i INPUT] [-o OUTPUT | -m MAIN]

Generates quantikz LateX codes from either URL or a text file. Options are explained below.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -u URL, --url URL     Converts Quirk URL to circuit code.
  -i INPUT, --input INPUT
                        Converts input text file with circuit in JSON format to circuit code.
  -o OUTPUT, --output OUTPUT
                        Latex code with only quantikz environment is saved in output file.
  -m MAIN, --main MAIN  A standalone LaTeX document containing the output circuit code.

• In case of an URL the syntax is python3 pyquirk.py -u URL -o output.tex. For example,

python3 pyquirk.py -u https://algassert.com/quirk#circuit=%7B%22cols%22%3A%5B%5B%22H%22%5D%2C%5B%22%E2%80%A2%22%2C%22X%22%5D%2C%5B%22Measure%22%5D%5D%7D -o circuit.tex

• In case of a text file containing JSON, the format is python3 pyquirk.py -i input.txt -o output.tex

python3 pyquirk.py -i circuit_json.txt -o circuit.tex

Now you may include circuit.tex which contains only tikz environement in main.tex that supplements packages. Read below for clarity. Also you may generate a standalone LaTeX file containing the code using,

python3 pyquirk.py -i input.txt -m main.tex
python3 pyquirk.py -i circuit_json.txt -m main_file.tex

Steps to generate the URL or .txt file

Step 1: Click on Export button displayed on the header of Quirk.

Step 2: Copy to Clipboard the URL or JSON settings.

---

After getting output.tex

A short rundown of quantikz usage is given below. I assume this is the format of your main file in which the circuit should be included along with descriptions, equations and stuff.

A minimal working example:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{quantikz}

\begin{document}
\begin{center}      %Optional centering

%(...circuit code from the output goes here...)
% you may as well just pipe the output file of pyquirk as input:

\input{output.tex}

% or you can completely copy-paste the output of pyquirk:

\begin{quantikz}
\lstick{\ket{0}}&\gate{H} & \ctrl{1} & \meter{}& \cw \\
\lstick{\ket{0}}&\qw & \targ{} & \qw& \qw
\end{quantikz}

\end{center}
\end{document}

Note that the above minimal example is the content of main.tex, so you might as well use -m argument.

Use the example files supplied if you have more doubts. Submit an issue if you find errors or need help!

Future improvements

• Parsing from algassert URL.
• A dedicated website for generating tex code after pasting JSON.

Contribution

Submit a pull request. You can also DM me at @abhayhegde_.

Acknowledgement

• Craig Gidney for building Quirk.
• Alastair Kay for maintaining quantikz.

This is one of those weekend projects. May contain sharp edges! :)