Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

ACM SIGACT News

Holographic algorithms

Jin‐Yi Cai

Published Jun 1, 2008• 8 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Leslie Valiant recently proposed a theory of holographic algorithms. These novel algorithms achieve exponential speed-ups for certain computational problems compared to naive algorithms for the same problems. The methodology uses Pfaffians and (planar) perfect matchings as basic computational primitives, and attempts to create exponential cancellations in computation. In this article we survey this new theory of matchgate computations and holographic algorithms.

DOI
10.1145/1388240.1388254

Related papers

Holographic algorithms

J.-Y. Cai

Leslie Valiant recently proposed a theory of holographic algorithms.These novel algorithms achieve exponential speed-ups for certain computational problems compared to naive algorithms for the same problems.The methodology uses Pfaffians and (planar) perfect matchings as basic computational primitives, and attempts to create exponential cancellations in computation.In this article we survey this new theory of matchgate computations and holographic algorithms.

Current Developments in Mathematics•Jan 1, 2005•3 citations

On the Theory of Matchgate Computations

Jin‐Yi Cai, Vinay Choudhary, Pinyan Lu

Valiant has proposed a new theory of algorithmic computation based on perfect matchings and Pfaffians. We study the properties of matchgates—the basic building blocks in this new theory. We give a set of algebraic identities which completely characterizes these objects for arbitrary numbers of inputs and outputs. These identities are derived from Grassmann-Plücker identities. The 4 by 4 matchgate character matrices are of particular interest. These were used in Valiant's classical simulation of a fragment of quantum computations. For these 4 by 4 matchgates, we use Jacobi's theorem on compound matrices to prove that the invertible matchgate matrices form a multiplicative group. Our results can also be expressed in the theory of Holographic Algorithms in terms of realizable standard signatures. These results are useful in establishing limitations on the ultimate capabilities of Valiant's theory of matchgate computations and Holographic Algorithms.

Theory of Computing Systems•Jun 1, 2007•62 citations

Holographic algorithms with unsymmetric signatures

Jin‐Yi Cai, Pinyan Lu

Holographic algorithms were introduced by Valiant as a new methodology to derive polynomial time algorithms. Here information and computation are represented by exponential sums using the so-called signatures. These signatures express superpositions of perfect matchings, and are used to achieve exponential sized cancellations, and thereby exponential speedups. Most holographic algorithms so far used symmetric signatures. In this paper we use unsymmetric signatures to give some new holographic algorithms. We also prove a characterization theorem for a class of realizable un-symmetric signatures, each of which may be used to design new holographic algorithms.

Symposium on Discrete Algorithms•Jan 20, 2008•9 citations

Holographic Algorithms Beyond Matchgates

Jin‐Yi Cai, Heng Guo, Tyson Williams

Holographic algorithms introduced by Valiant are composed of two ingredients: matchgates, which are gadgets realizing local constraint functions by weighted planar perfect matchings, and holographic reductions, which show equivalences among problems with different descriptions via certain basis transformations. In this paper, we replace matchgates in the paradigm above by the affine type and the product type constraint functions, which are known to be tractable in general (not necessarily planar) graphs. More specifically, we present polynomial-time algorithms to decide if a given counting problem has a holographic reduction to another problem defined by the affine or product-type functions. Our algorithms also find a holographic transformation when one exists. We further present polynomial-time algorithms of the same decision and search problems for symmetric functions, where the complexity is measured in terms of the (exponentially more) succinct representations. The algorithm for the symmetric case also shows that the recent dichotomy theorem for Holant problems with symmetric constraints is efficiently decidable. Our proof techniques are mainly algebraic, e.g., using stabilizers and orbits of group actions.

arXiv:1307.7430•Jul 29, 2013•0 citations

Holographic Algorithms with Matchgates Capture Precisely Tractable Planar_#CSP

Jin‐Yi Cai, Pinyan Lu, Mingji Xia

Valiant introduced match gate computation and holographic algorithms. A number of seemingly exponential time problems can be solved by this novel algorithmic paradigm in polynomial time. We show that, in a very strong sense, match gate computations and holographic algorithms based on them provide a universal methodology to a broad class of counting problems studied in statistical physics community for decades. They capture precisely those problems which are #P-hard on general graphs but computable in polynomial time on planar graphs. More precisely, we prove complexity dichotomy theorems in the framework of counting CSP problems. The local constraint functions take Boolean inputs, and can be arbitrary real-valued symmetric functions. We prove that, every problem in this class belongs to precisely three categories: (1) those which are tractable (i.e., polynomial time computable) on general graphs, or (2) those which are #P-hard on general graphs but ractable on planar graphs, or (3) those which are #P-hard even on planar graphs. The classification criteria are explicit. Moreover, problems in category (2) are tractable on planar graphs precisely by holographic algorithms with matchgates.

Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science•Oct 1, 2010•50 citations

Holographic Algorithms with Matchgates Capture Precisely Tractable Planar #CSP

Jin‐Yi Cai, Pinyan Lu, Mingji Xia

Valiant introduced matchgate computation and holographic algorithms. A number of seemingly exponential time problems can be solved by this novel algorithmic paradigm in polynomial time. We show that, in a very strong sense, matchgate computations and holographic algorithms based on them provide a universal methodology to a broad class of counting problems studied in the statistical physics community for decades. They capture precisely those problems which are #P-hard on general graphs but computable in polynomial time on planar graphs. More precisely, we prove complexity dichotomy theorems in the framework of counting CSP problems. The local constraint functions take Boolean inputs and can be arbitrary real-valued symmetric functions. We prove that every problem in this class belongs to precisely three categories: (1) those which are tractable (i.e., polynomial time computable) on general graphs, or (2) those which are #P-hard on general graphs but tractable on planar graphs, or (3) those which are #P-hard even on planar graphs. The classification criteria are explicit. Moreover, problems in category (2) are tractable on planar graphs precisely by holographic algorithms with matchgates.

SIAM Journal on Computing•Jan 1, 2017•16 citations
Leslie Valiant recently proposed a theory of holographic algorithms. These novel algorithms achieve exponential speed-ups for certain computational problems compared to naive algorithms for the same problems. The methodology uses Pfaffians and (planar) perfect matchings as basic computational primitives, and attempts to create exponential cancellations in computation. In this article we survey this new theory of matchgate computations and holographic algorithms.
Valiant has proposed a new theory of algorithmic computation based on perfect matchings and Pfaffians. We study the properties of matchgates—the basic building blocks in this new theory. We give a set of algebraic identities which completely characterizes these objects for arbitrary numbers of inputs and outputs. These identities are derived from Grassmann-Plücker identities. The 4 by 4 matchgate character matrices are of particular interest. These were used in Valiant's classical simulation of a fragment of quantum computations. For these 4 by 4 matchgates, we use Jacobi's theorem on compound matrices to prove that the invertible matchgate matrices form a multiplicative group. Our results can also be expressed in the theory of Holographic Algorithms in terms of realizable standard signatures. These results are useful in establishing limitations on the ultimate capabilities of Valiant's theory of matchgate computations and Holographic Algorithms.
Holographic algorithms were introduced by Valiant as a new methodology to derive polynomial time algorithms. Here information and computation are represented by exponential sums using the so-called signatures. These signatures express superpositions of perfect matchings, and are used to achieve exponential sized cancellations, and thereby exponential speedups. Most holographic algorithms so far used symmetric signatures. In this paper we use unsymmetric signatures to give some new holographic algorithms. We also prove a characterization theorem for a class of realizable un-symmetric signatures, each of which may be used to design new holographic algorithms.
Holographic algorithms introduced by Valiant are composed of two ingredients: matchgates, which are gadgets realizing local constraint functions by weighted planar perfect matchings, and holographic reductions, which show equivalences among problems with different descriptions via certain basis transformations. In this paper, we replace matchgates in the paradigm above by the affine type and the product type constraint functions, which are known to be tractable in general (not necessarily planar) graphs. More specifically, we present polynomial-time algorithms to decide if a given counting problem has a holographic reduction to another problem defined by the affine or product-type functions. Our algorithms also find a holographic transformation when one exists. We further present polynomial-time algorithms of the same decision and search problems for symmetric functions, where the complexity is measured in terms of the (exponentially more) succinct representations. The algorithm for the symmetric case also shows that the recent dichotomy theorem for Holant problems with symmetric constraints is efficiently decidable. Our proof techniques are mainly algebraic, e.g., using stabilizers and orbits of group actions.
Valiant introduced match gate computation and holographic algorithms. A number of seemingly exponential time problems can be solved by this novel algorithmic paradigm in polynomial time. We show that, in a very strong sense, match gate computations and holographic algorithms based on them provide a universal methodology to a broad class of counting problems studied in statistical physics community for decades. They capture precisely those problems which are #P-hard on general graphs but computable in polynomial time on planar graphs. More precisely, we prove complexity dichotomy theorems in the framework of counting CSP problems. The local constraint functions take Boolean inputs, and can be arbitrary real-valued symmetric functions. We prove that, every problem in this class belongs to precisely three categories: (1) those which are tractable (i.e., polynomial time computable) on general graphs, or (2) those which are #P-hard on general graphs but ractable on planar graphs, or (3) those which are #P-hard even on planar graphs. The classification criteria are explicit. Moreover, problems in category (2) are tractable on planar graphs precisely by holographic algorithms with matchgates.
Valiant introduced matchgate computation and holographic algorithms. A number of seemingly exponential time problems can be solved by this novel algorithmic paradigm in polynomial time. We show that, in a very strong sense, matchgate computations and holographic algorithms based on them provide a universal methodology to a broad class of counting problems studied in the statistical physics community for decades. They capture precisely those problems which are #P-hard on general graphs but computable in polynomial time on planar graphs. More precisely, we prove complexity dichotomy theorems in the framework of counting CSP problems. The local constraint functions take Boolean inputs and can be arbitrary real-valued symmetric functions. We prove that every problem in this class belongs to precisely three categories: (1) those which are tractable (i.e., polynomial time computable) on general graphs, or (2) those which are #P-hard on general graphs but tractable on planar graphs, or (3) those which are #P-hard even on planar graphs. The classification criteria are explicit. Moreover, problems in category (2) are tractable on planar graphs precisely by holographic algorithms with matchgates.