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Compiler Levels and Programming Languages

Triple Alpha is structured in a modular manner to facilitate different use cases and workflows. A choice of programming languages allows developers to work at the level of abstraction best suited to their needs.

Helium

Compiler Level (Medium Level of Abstraction)BASIC-like Programming Language

The Helium level provides higher abstraction compared to Hydrogen. It enables the creation of sophisticated quantum programs using control structures like conditional 'if' statements, 'increment' and 'repeat' loops—functionally equivalent to the traditional 'for' and 'while' loops. Helium also allows integration of subroutines, including those written in classical languages like C and C++.

Helium is designed to allow composition of functionality, simplifying the development of complex quantum applications and allowing algorithms to be combined to compound quantum advantage.

Features of the Helium Programming Language

BASIC-like Quantum ProgrammingFully Compatible with HydrogenSubroutines from C/C++Familiar Control StructuresGate-Level ControlSupport for External I/O

Control Structures

Hydrogen

Compiler Level (Low Level of Abstraction)Assembly-level Programming Language

Hydrogen is the compiler level below Helium and our assembly-level programming language.

Hydrogen allows for concurrent classical and quantum computation, and dynamic control flow to allow non-circuit computation. The instruction set used in Hydrogen can be defined or extended by the user, and compiled to target any system.

Features of the Hydrogen Programming Language

Custom Instruction SetsTuring-CompletenessFlexible Control FlowConcurrent Classical ComputationArchitecture AgnosticInbuilt Gate SynthesisQubit Routing & Gate Bridging

Control Flow Blocks

Hardware

Deployment Level

The Hardware level is the lowest level in Triple Alpha. At this level, programs need to be written using the processor's native operations, including any constraints on addressing due to the processor's connectivity graph.

At this level, code can be written in Hydrogen or system-specific languages and frameworks, such as QASM or Quil.

Features of the Hardware Compiler Level

Supports Hydrogen LanguageSupports External FrameworksQuantum Processor SpecificEnables Hardware ExecutionDeployable as an API