Q, by QuLearnLabs

What's Q? 🤔

Q is your VS Code quantum copilot, created by the cool folks at QuLearnLabs in the Netherlands. Think of it as that quantum physics friend who's always ready to explain the weird stuff in ways that actually make sense.

It plugs into GitHub Copilot Chat to supercharge your quantum learning journey - offering explanations, code, and answers that don't require a PhD to understand. Whether you're building quantum circuits or wondering how post-quantum crypto works, Q's got your back.

Why Q Should Be Your Quantum Buddy 💪

• Learning on Steroids: Built specifically for QuLearnLabs' curriculum, but useful for anyone diving into the quantum rabbit hole.

• Double Threat Knowledge: Tackles both quantum computing (the weird physics stuff) AND post-quantum cryptography (keeping your secrets safe when quantum computers try to break everything).

• AI + Quantum = Magic: Level up your skills for the future where AI and quantum computing collide. The tech world's power couple.

• Euro-Powered Innovation: Part of Europe's mission to not get left behind in the quantum race. Tech with a purpose!

Q's Superpowers ✨

• /exercise
  Level up your quantum skills with custom coding challenges.

  /exercise Create a circuit that puts 2 qubits into that spooky entangled state
  

• /snippet
  Need quantum code? Say no more. Grab ready-to-run snippets for any quantum task.

  /snippet Show me how to teleport a qubit using Qiskit - no physics degree required
  

• /explain
  "Explain it like I'm 5" but for quantum physics. Complex concepts, simple language.

  /explain What's this entanglement thing everyone's talking about? How do I code it?
  

• Quantum Circuit Visualizer
  Select Qiskit code, right-click, and instantly view your quantum circuit diagram.

  # Select this code, right-click, and choose "Visualize Quantum Circuit"
  from qiskit import QuantumCircuit
  qc = QuantumCircuit(2)
  qc.h(0)
  qc.cx(0, 1)
  qc.measure_all()
  

• Quantum Code Completions
  Type less, quantum more. Smart suggestions that know their Hadamards from their CNOTs.

  # Watch the quantum magic happen as you type
  from qiskit import Quantum  # Q knows what you need
  circuit.h(0)               # "Maybe add a Hadamard gate here?"
  

Quantum Frameworks Q Speaks 🗣️

Q uses Qiskit (IBM's quantum framework) as the default for all code examples, unless you specifically request a different framework.

Technical Stack 🔧

• Language: TypeScript
• Runtime: Node.js
• Extension Framework: VS Code Extension API
• AI Integration: GitHub Copilot Chat API
• Packaging: VS Code Extension Bundler

Directory Structure 📁

Q/
├── media/                 # Visual assets and logos
│   └── circuits/          # Generated quantum circuit images
├── src/                   # Core TypeScript source
│   ├── extension.ts       # Main entry point
│   ├── completions.ts     # Quantum code completion provider
│   ├── circuit-visualizer.ts # Quantum circuit visualization
│   ├── qiskit-fixer.ts    # Qiskit 1.x compatibility fixer (TypeScript)
│   ├── qiskit_tools.py    # Qiskit 1.x compatibility fixer (Python)
│   └── sidebar-provider.ts # Welcome and Quick Actions sidebar
├── LICENSE.md             # CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 License
├── README.md              # Project documentation
├── package.json           # Dependencies and extension metadata
├── tsconfig.json          # TypeScript configuration
└── eslint.config.mjs      # Linting rules

Prerequisites ✅

Before installing Q, make sure you have the following:

• VS Code: Version 1.98.0 or newer Download

• GitHub Copilot & Chat: Q requires both extensions

  • GitHub Copilot with one of these plans:
    • Free: Available for verified students, teachers, and open source maintainers (limited to 50 chat completions/month)
    • Pro: $10/month or $100/year with 30-day free trial (unlimited usage)
  • GitHub Copilot Chat (included with your subscription)
  • Note: Q will work with the Free plan but is limited by the 50 chat completions per month

• Python: Version 3.8 or newer Download

  • Required for circuit visualization and Qiskit compatibility features

Python Setup

Install the required Python packages with:

# Install all required packages
pip install qiskit qiskit-aer matplotlib pylatexenc pyperclip

On macOS/Linux, you might need to use python3 -m pip instead of pip.

Get Q In Your VS Code 🚀

The Easy Way (Recommended)

1. Fire up VS Code
2. Hit the Extensions button in the sidebar
3. Type "QuLearnLabs" in the search bar
4. Smash that Install button
5. Make sure GitHub Copilot Chat is installed and authenticated

The Hacker Way (For the Curious)

git clone https://github.com/QuLearnLabs/Q.git
cd Q
npm install
npm run vscode:prepublish
# A new VSIX file will be generated with version 1.0.2
code --install-extension releases/Q-by-QuLearnLabs-1.0.2.vsix

Post-Installation

1. Restart VS Code to activate the extension
2. The first time you use a feature that requires Python, Q will check if all dependencies are installed
3. If any dependencies are missing, follow the prompts to install them

How To Use Your New Quantum Friend 🤝

Using the Q Sidebar Interface

1. Access the Q Sidebar
   Click the Q icon in the VS Code Activity Bar to open the sidebar.

2. Welcome View
   The Welcome View provides quick access to Q's features:

   • Meet Q - Opens the Copilot Chat with a friendly Q greeting
   • Ask Questions - Opens Chat with a pre-populated query about qubits
   • Get Hands-on - Switches to the Quick Actions view
   • QuLearnLabs - Opens the QuLearnLabs website

3. Quick Actions View
   This view provides direct access to Q's quantum superpowers:

   • Explain a Concept - Opens Chat with a query comparing quantum and classical algorithms
   • Insert Code Snippet - Opens Chat requesting a beginner-friendly qubit creation snippet
   • Visualize Quantum Circuit - Activates the quantum circuit visualization tool
   • Generate Coding Exercise - Opens Chat with a query for a qubit superposition exercise

Chatting with Q

1. Summon Q in Chat
   Click the chat icon or hit Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows/Linux) or ⌘+Shift+I (macOS).

2. Wake Up Q
   Just type @Q followed by your burning quantum question.

3. Unleash Q's Powers
   Try these magic commands:

   @Q /exercise Build me a quantum circuit that can teleport my cat
   @Q /snippet Show me how to make 3 qubits do the quantum tango
   @Q /explain What's Shor's algorithm and why should I care?
   

   Or just chat naturally:

   @Q Hey, what's the difference between superposition and entanglement? Are they like cousins?
   

4. Visualize Quantum Circuits

   • Ensure you have the required Python packages installed: pip install qiskit matplotlib pylatexenc or pip3 install qiskit matplotlib pylatexenc
   • Write or paste Qiskit code in your editor
   • Select the code block
   • Right-click and choose "Visualize Quantum Circuit" (or press Ctrl+Alt+Q / Cmd+Alt+Q)
   • The circuit image will be saved to the media/circuits folder
   • A notification will appear with options to open the image or folder
   • If visualization fails, check the error message - it will provide specific instructions to resolve dependency issues

Qiskit 1.x Compatibility 🔄

Q automatically fixes your code to work with Qiskit 1.x! Two major changes in Qiskit 1.x are handled for you:

# OLD → NEW
from qiskit import Aer  →  from qiskit_aer import Aer
execute(circuit, backend)  →  backend.run(transpile(circuit, backend))

How It Works

The Qiskit compatibility checker works in three main ways:

1. Right-click to Fix Code: Select a code block or open a Python file, right-click, and select "Fix Qiskit Code for 1.x Compatibility" to instantly update your code. This works even on files that aren't saved yet!

2. Background Watcher: When enabled, this silently monitors your Python files. When you save a file containing old Qiskit code, it automatically updates the code to be compatible with Qiskit 1.x. You'll see a notification when a file is fixed.

3. Clipboard Monitor: When enabled, this watches your clipboard. If you copy old Qiskit code from somewhere (like a tutorial or Q chat), it automatically updates the code in your clipboard. This requires the pyperclip Python package.

Note about Q chat's code snippets: When using Q chat to generate Qiskit code snippets, it may give you older code that's not compatible with Qiskit 1.x. Here's how to handle it:

• If you have clipboard monitoring set up (with pyperclip installed), copying the code will automatically fix it.
• If not, paste the code into a file in VS Code and save it. If the background watcher is running, it will automatically fix the code.
• Alternatively, after pasting the code, right-click and select "Fix Qiskit Code for 1.x Compatibility".

Setup & Options

Dependencies: First, make sure you have the required packages:

pip install qiskit qiskit-aer pyperclip  # For full functionality including clipboard monitoring

Setup: Run once to install tasks and configure

python3 src/qiskit_tools.py --setup

VS Code Tasks: Access from Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P) → "Tasks: Run Task"

• Fix Current File - Update open file only
• Run Watcher Once - Scan all files once
• Start Watcher - Continuously fix files as you edit and save
• Clipboard Monitor - Fix code when copied (requires pyperclip)

Terminal Usage:

python3 src/qiskit_tools.py -f file.py  # Fix specific file
python3 src/qiskit_tools.py --watch      # Monitor clipboard
python3 src/qiskit_tools.py --watcher    # Watch all files

The fixer safely handles Aer imports, execute() calls, and adds any missing imports - all automatically!

The Fine Print

This project is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Check the LICENSE file if you're into legal stuff.

The People Behind Q

Check Us Out: QuLearnLabs.com

• Our Thing: Getting the next generation of coders quantum-ready before everyone else.

• We're All About: Quantum magic, crypto that quantum computers can't break, and making you a better coder.

QuLearnLabs is helping Europe level up in the global tech game - especially in quantum computing and next-gen security.

• Flattening Learning Curves: Making quantum concepts click without needing 10 years of physics.

• Quantum For Everyone: Building tools that don't require a PhD to operate.

• Future-Proofing Careers: Preparing Europe's tech talent for the quantum revolution before it hits.

• Backed By: The awesome EIT Deep Tech Talent initiative.

© 2025 QuLearnLabs Foundation • Version 1.0.2 • Made with ⚛️ + ❤️