The article provides an overview of the current state and future challenges of quantum software engineering as quantum computing transitions from proof-of-concept to potential industrial adoption. While significant progress has been made in quantum hardware and cloud-based execution platforms, the article argues that innovation will depend critically on advances in software tools, programming abstractions, and engineering methodologies. Focusing on the constraints of the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, it examines challenges related to hardware heterogeneity, software portability, hybrid classical–quantum architectures, and the lack of mature development environments. The article also highlights the urgent need for a new generation of quantum software engineers and coherent educational programmes, particularly in Europe, to bridge skills gaps and support the long-term evolution toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. This article is published in IE Perspectives, Issue 1 (January 2026). Full issue available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18376222
The article provides an overview of the current state and future challenges of quantum software engineering as quantum computing transitions from proof-of-concept to potential industrial adoption. While significant progress has been made in quantum hardware and cloud-based execution platforms, the article argues that innovation will depend critically on advances in software tools, programming abstractions, and engineering methodologies. Focusing on the constraints of the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, it examines challenges related to hardware heterogeneity, software portability, hybrid classical–quantum architectures, and the lack of mature development environments. The article also highlights the urgent need for a new generation of quantum software engineers and coherent educational programmes, particularly in Europe, to bridge skills gaps and support the long-term evolution toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. This article is published in IE Perspectives, Issue 1 (January 2026). Full issue available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18376222
This article provides an overview of the current state and future challenges of quantum software engineering as quantum computing transitions from proof-of-concept to potential industrial adoption. While significant progress has been made in quantum hardware and cloud-based execution platforms, the article argues that innovation will depend critically on advances in software tools, programming abstractions, and engineering methodologies. Focusing on the constraints of the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, it examines challenges related to hardware heterogeneity, software portability, hybrid classical–quantum architectures, and the lack of mature development environments. The article also highlights the urgent need for a new generation of quantum software engineers and coherent educational programmes, particularly in Europe, to bridge skills gaps and support the long-term evolution toward fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Quantum computing is rapidly emerging as a transformative force poised to redefine the foundations of software engineering. By leveraging quantum mechanical phenomena such as superposition, entanglement, and interference, quantum computers offer the potential to solve complex problems far beyond the reach of classical systems. This paper explores the multifaceted impact of quantum computing on software engineering, focusing on key areas including quantum algorithms, cryptography, programming paradigms, and application domains. It examines how quantum algorithms like Shor's and Grover's promise significant computational speedups, threatening classical encryption schemes and prompting the rise of post-quantum cryptography. The paper also analyzes the challenges of quantum programming, including steep learning curves, limited hardware access, and the need for new development tools and testing frameworks. These challenges highlight the current limitations of quantum technology, such as hardware instability and scalability issues. As quantum hardware evolves, the integration of hybrid quantum-classical systems is identified as a practical approach for near-term applications in areas such as drug discovery, finance, and optimization. The paper further discusses ethical considerations, such as equitable access to quantum resources and privacy concerns, alongside potential societal impacts to ensure responsible innovation. It underscores the need for future advancements in education, standardization, and hybrid systems to bridge the gap between current limitations and quantum computing’s potential. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of educational reform, standardization, and ethical considerations in preparing the software engineering community for a quantum-driven future.
The increasing maturity of Quantum Computing (QC) and quantum hardware hasbrought Quantum Software Design (QSD) into focus as a distinct research concernwithin Quantum Software Engineering (QSE), yet no prior study has systematicallymapped its approaches, challenges, and opportunities. This thesis addresses thatgap through two complementary research phases: a Systematic Literature Review(SLR) of 32 studies published between 2006 and 2025, and semi-structured inter-views with four domain experts. Both phases confirm that quantum-classical hybrid design is the dominant approach in current QSD research, and that the adaptationof classical tools, particularly Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Model-DrivenEngineering (MDE), is the primary methodological strategy. Hardware-software co-design is identified as a necessary design concern under Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) constraints; two further directions absent from the published liter-ature were identified by practitioners: AI-assisted QSD and self-adaptive quantumsystems. The challenge analysis reveals a potential causal sequence of challenges in the field. Human resources challenges, specifically, the bidirectional knowledge gap between software engineers and quantum computing researchers, emerge exclusively from the interviews and are absent from all 32 reviewed studies. MDE is the most convergent near-term opportunity, and the formalization of human resources and educational pathways represents a new research direction not addressed in the existing literature.
Quantum Computing holds the potential to change our world. Following the quantum wave, software engineers have recognised the opportunity to establish a new discipline of Quantum Software Engineering. Despite the significant progress achieved, Quantum Computing's widespread adoption still faces critical hurdles. In this paper, we outline two of these challenges. (1) Quantum programming continues to be a complex art mastered by a select few experts. We suggest that the primary culprit can be pinpointed in the absence of high-level quantum software abstractions which forces developers to work with low-level quantum concepts and reason in terms of matrix multiplications. (2) The scarce collaboration among quantum software engineers resulted in a lack of platform and software interoperability. While a diversity of research proposals fuels scientific progress, it can hinder the development and adoption of innovative technologies, potentially fragmenting the collective efforts and confining them within isolated research groups. We believe that overcoming these issues is crucial for fostering innovation, advancing Quantum Software Engineering, and Quantum Computing as a whole.
To unlock the full potential of quantum computing, the eld must develop a robust software ecosystem grounded in classical software engineering principles—a discipline that itself needs to be adapted to the quantum domain. Currently, however, the advancement of quantum computing is hampered by a growing “software gap,” where a fragmented and non-standardized ecosystem of tools hinders progress. Much of the existing quantum software originates from academic proofs-of-concept that often lack the robustness, maintainability, and scalability required for practical applications. This article argues that bridging this gap requires the systematic application of principles from classical software engineering and design automation. We present the Munich Quantum Toolkit (MQT) as a case study, showcasing a suite of open-source tools built on these principles. By tracing its evolution, we distill key lessons learned in testing, deployment, and community-driven development. We demon-strate that adopting a rigorous software engineering culture is essential for building the reliable and sustainable software infrastructure needed to unlock the full potential of quantum computing.
Quantum computing represents a fundamental shift in computation, promising to solve problems currently intractable for classical computers. However, misconceptions persist; quantum computers are not universally faster, nor do they replace classical systems. Current Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices face significant challenges, including decoherence, high error rates, and limited scalability. Additionally, leveraging quantum systems requires rethinking traditional computing principles, adopting different programming models, and addressing the complexities of integrating quantum and classical workflows, making their practical use in computer science both demanding and non-trivial. This article provides a system-level perspective on quantum computing for computer scientists, software engineers, and IT professionals, examining its current capabilities, key architectural and software challenges, and potential paths toward quantum advantage in real-world applications within hybrid quantum-classical environments.