IonQ backends API

openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  contact:
    email: support@ionq.co
    name: IonQ
    url: https://ionq.com/
  description: '*Last updated: May 15, 2026*

    IonQ''s API for accessing the IonQ Quantum Cloud platform


    Please subscribe for automated updates when we perform maintenance or

    experience an outage.


    In addition, you may use the [status endpoint](#tag/status) to check the

    current status of our API.


    ## Authentication


    <SecurityDefinitions />

    '
  title: IonQ Cloud Platform backends API
  version: v0.4
servers:
- url: https://api.ionq.co/v0.4
tags:
- name: backends
paths:
  /backends:
    get:
      description: This endpoint retrieves all backends.
      operationId: getBackends
      responses:
        '200':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/ListBackends'
      security: []
      summary: Get Backends
      tags:
      - backends
      x-codeSamples:
      - lang: curl
        source: 'curl "https://api.ionq.co/v0.4/backends"

          '
  /backends/{backend}:
    get:
      description: This endpoint retrieves a backend.
      operationId: getBackend
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/backend'
      responses:
        '200':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/GetBackend'
      security: []
      summary: Get a Backend
      tags:
      - backends
      x-codeSamples:
      - lang: curl
        source: 'curl "https://api.ionq.co/v0.4/backends/qpu.aria-1"

          '
components:
  parameters:
    backend:
      description: A backend where jobs can run on.
      in: path
      name: backend
      required: true
      schema:
        enum:
        - qpu.aria-1
        - qpu.aria-2
        - qpu.forte-1
        - qpu.forte-enterprise-1
        - qpu.forte-enterprise-2
        - qpu.forte-enterprise-3
        type: string
  responses:
    ListBackends:
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            description: The list of backends.
            items:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/Backend'
            type: array
      description: Successfully retrieved backend.
    GetBackend:
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Backend'
      description: Successfully retrieved backend.
  schemas:
    Backend:
      description: A backend that you can target your program to run on.
      properties:
        average_queue_time:
          description: Current wait time on the queue for execution.
          example: 1181215
          format: unix-timestamp
          type: number
        backend:
          description: 'Specifies target hardware and generation where applies: `simulator`, `qpu.aria-1`, `qpu.aria-2`, `qpu.forte-1`, `qpu.forte-enterprise-1`, `qpu.forte-enterprise-2`, `qpu.forte-enterprise-3`'
          example: qpu.aria-1
          type: string
        characterization_id:
          description: Current characterization ID for this backend
          example: 617a1f8b-59d4-435d-aa33-695433d7155e
          type: string
        degraded:
          description: Flag to tell if the backend is degraded or not.
          type: boolean
        kw:
          description: The amount of energy used by the backend in kilowatt-hours.
          example: 4902.81
          format: double
          type: number
        last_updated:
          description: Last date time the backend status was updated.
          example: '2025-06-16T00:00:00Z'
          type: string
        location:
          description: The location of the backend.
          example: College Park, MD, USA
          type: string
        qubits:
          description: The number of qubits available.
          example: 25
          minimum: 0
          type: integer
        status:
          description: 'Current status of the backend: `available`, `unavailable`, `retired`.'
          type: string
      required:
      - backend
      - status
      - qubits
      - average_queue_time
      - last_updated
      type: object
  securitySchemes:
    apiKeyAuth:
      description: 'API keys are associated with a user and can be created on the [IonQ Quantum Cloud](https://cloud.ionq.com) application. To authenticate, prefix your API Key with `apiKey ` and place it in the `Authorization` request header. Ex: `Authorization: apiKey your-api-key`'
      in: header
      name: Authorization
      type: apiKey