Xanadu website screenshot

Xanadu

Xanadu is a Toronto-based photonic quantum computing company building cloud-accessible continuous- variable quantum processors based on squeezed states of light. Founded in 2016 by Christian Weedbrook and listed on TSX/Nasdaq (XNDU), Xanadu demonstrated a 50-million-fold Gaussian-boson-sampling speedup with Borealis in 2022 and published modular networked photonic quantum computing in Nature in 2025. Beyond hardware, Xanadu is one of the most prolific open-source contributors in quantum software — it maintains PennyLane (the de-facto cross-platform quantum ML framework), Strawberry Fields, MrMustard, The Walrus, Blackbird, Catalyst, Lightning, and FlamingPy, all under Apache-2.0. Xanadu's own Quantum Cloud was retired in January 2026; the company's developer surface is now centered entirely on its open-source stack and integrations with third-party QPUs.

10 APIs 7 Features
Quantum ComputingPhotonic Quantum ComputingQuantum Machine LearningContinuous VariableOpen SourcePythonPennyLaneStrawberry FieldsToronto

APIs

PennyLane

PennyLane is the cross-platform Python framework for quantum computing, quantum machine learning, and quantum chemistry maintained by Xanadu. It provides automatic differentiati...

Catalyst

Catalyst is a JIT compiler for hybrid quantum-classical programs written in PennyLane. Built on MLIR, it lowers PennyLane circuits to native machine code with quantum control fl...

PennyLane Lightning

Lightning is the family of high-performance state-vector and tensor-network quantum simulators written in C++ for PennyLane. Includes lightning.qubit (CPU), lightning.gpu (CUDA)...

Strawberry Fields

Strawberry Fields is Xanadu's full-stack Python library for designing, simulating, and optimizing continuous-variable (CV) photonic quantum circuits. It ships Gaussian, Fock, Te...

MrMustard

MrMustard is a differentiable quantum-optics simulator that bridges phase space and Fock space with pluggable NumPy and JAX backends. It performs fast exact Fock-amplitude compu...

The Walrus

The Walrus is a Python/C++ library for the fast calculation of hafnians, loop hafnians, and multidimensional Hermite polynomials — the linear-algebra primitives behind Gaussian ...

Blackbird

Blackbird is Xanadu's quantum assembly language and intermediate representation for continuous-variable photonic quantum computation. It is used to program Xanadu's photonic har...

PennyLane-Qiskit Plugin

PennyLane plugin that integrates IBM's Qiskit framework and IBM Q hardware as PennyLane devices for differentiable quantum programming. Apache-2.0.

FlamingPy

FlamingPy is Xanadu's cross-platform Python library for efficient simulation of error correction in fault-tolerant photonic quantum computers, with a variety of pluggable decode...

Xanadu Cloud Client

Xanadu Cloud Client (xcc) is the Python API and CLI that historically connected users to Xanadu's photonic quantum cloud (Borealis, X-series). Xanadu's Quantum Cloud was retired...

Features

Photonic Quantum Hardware

Continuous-variable photonic quantum processors based on squeezed states of light, including the Borealis Gaussian-boson-sampling device and the Aurora modular system targeting fault-tolerant scaling.

PennyLane Open-Source Framework

Hardware-agnostic Python framework for differentiable quantum programming across PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow, and NumPy with first-class quantum machine learning and quantum chemistry support.

Plugin Ecosystem

Plugins connect PennyLane to IBM Qiskit, AWS Braket, Google Cirq, IonQ, Rigetti, Microsoft QDK, Quantinuum/Honeywell, Qulacs, and Xanadu's own Strawberry Fields.

Lightning High-Performance Simulators

C++ state-vector and tensor-network simulators with CPU, CUDA GPU, Kokkos, and tensor backends for laptop-to-HPC quantum circuit simulation.

Catalyst JIT Compiler

MLIR-based just-in-time compiler that lowers PennyLane hybrid quantum-classical programs to native code with quantum control flow and end-to-end differentiation.

Photonic Software Stack

Strawberry Fields, MrMustard, The Walrus, Blackbird, and FlamingPy provide continuous-variable simulation, differentiable optics, Gaussian-boson-sampling primitives, an assembly DSL, and fault-tolerant error-correction tooling.

Quantum Codebook and QML Hub

Interactive Xanadu Quantum Codebook plus the pennylane.ai/qml hub with hundreds of research demos covering quantum machine learning, chemistry, and algorithms.

Use Cases

Quantum Machine Learning Research

Train hybrid quantum-classical models with automatic differentiation against simulators and real QPUs through a single PennyLane API.

Quantum Chemistry

Run variational quantum eigensolver and chemistry workflows via pennylane.qchem, including ground state, excited state, and dynamics simulations.

Photonic Algorithm Research

Design continuous-variable algorithms — Gaussian boson sampling, graph optimization, molecular vibronic spectra — in Strawberry Fields and MrMustard.

Fault-Tolerant Architecture Studies

Use FlamingPy to simulate and benchmark photonic fault-tolerant quantum-computing architectures and decoders.

HPC-Scale Quantum Simulation

Run large state-vector and tensor-network simulations on multi-GPU and multi-node clusters with Lightning + Catalyst.

Quantum Education

Teach undergraduates and researchers quantum computing through the Xanadu Quantum Codebook, QHack, and the pennylane.ai demo library.

Integrations

IBM Qiskit / IBM Quantum

PennyLane-Qiskit plugin exposes IBM Q hardware and Qiskit simulators as PennyLane devices.

AWS Braket

PennyLane plugin for Amazon Braket lets PennyLane circuits run against Braket-managed simulators and partner QPUs.

Google Cirq

PennyLane-Cirq plugin integrates Google's Cirq simulators.

IonQ

PennyLane-IonQ plugin targets IonQ trapped-ion simulators and hardware.

Rigetti

PennyLane-Rigetti plugin connects to Rigetti Forest QPUs and the QVM.

Quantinuum / Honeywell

PennyLane-Honeywell plugin targets Quantinuum's trapped-ion systems.

Microsoft Quantum Development Kit

PennyLane-qsharp plugin connects PennyLane to the Microsoft QDK simulators.

Qulacs

PennyLane-Qulacs plugin provides access to the Qulacs simulator.

PyTorch / JAX / TensorFlow / NumPy

First-class differentiable interfaces for every major Python ML framework.

NVIDIA cuQuantum

Lightning GPU and Lightning Tensor leverage NVIDIA cuQuantum for accelerated simulation.

Semantic Vocabularies

Xanadu Context

0 classes · 3 properties

JSON-LD

Resources

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DomainSecurity
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Portal
Portal
🌐
Portal
Portal
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Documentation
Documentation
📰
Blog
Blog
📰
Blog
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Documentation
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👥
GitHubOrganization
GitHubOrganization
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GitHubOrganization
GitHubOrganization
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LinkedIn
LinkedIn
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Twitter
Twitter
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YouTube
YouTube
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Forums
Forums
🎓
Training
Training
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Training
Training
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CodeExamples
CodeExamples
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Plugins
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ReleaseNotes
ReleaseNotes
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License
License

Sources

apis.yml Raw ↑
aid: xanadu
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/xanadu/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
apis:
- aid: xanadu:pennylane
  name: PennyLane
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Quantum Machine Learning
  - Open Source
  - Python
  - Automatic Differentiation
  humanURL: https://pennylane.ai
  properties:
  - url: https://pennylane.ai
    type: Portal
  - url: https://docs.pennylane.ai/en/stable/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI/pennylane
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/PennyLane/
    type: SDKs
  - url: https://pennylane.ai/qml/demonstrations/
    type: CodeExamples
  - url: https://discuss.pennylane.ai/
    type: Forums
  - url: json-schema/pennylane-device-schema.json
    type: JSONSchema
  - url: json-ld/xanadu-context.jsonld
    type: JSONLD
  description: PennyLane is the cross-platform Python framework for quantum computing, quantum machine learning, and quantum
    chemistry maintained by Xanadu. It provides automatic differentiation of hybrid quantum-classical computations across
    PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow, and NumPy with a device-agnostic plugin model so the same circuit runs against simulators (Lightning,
    default.qubit) and hardware (IBM Q, IonQ, Rigetti, AWS Braket, Strawberry Fields). Apache-2.0, latest version 0.45.0 (May
    2026), 3.2k+ stars.
- aid: xanadu:catalyst
  name: Catalyst
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Compiler
  - JIT
  - MLIR
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://docs.pennylane.ai/projects/catalyst/en/stable/
  properties:
  - url: https://docs.pennylane.ai/projects/catalyst/en/stable/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI/catalyst
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/PennyLane-Catalyst/
    type: SDKs
  description: Catalyst is a JIT compiler for hybrid quantum-classical programs written in PennyLane. Built on MLIR, it lowers
    PennyLane circuits to native machine code with quantum control flow, dynamic shapes, and differentiable hybrid execution.
    Apache-2.0.
- aid: xanadu:pennylane-lightning
  name: PennyLane Lightning
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Simulator
  - High Performance
  - GPU
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://docs.pennylane.ai/projects/lightning/en/stable/
  properties:
  - url: https://docs.pennylane.ai/projects/lightning/en/stable/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI/pennylane-lightning
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/PennyLane-Lightning/
    type: SDKs
  description: Lightning is the family of high-performance state-vector and tensor-network quantum simulators written in C++
    for PennyLane. Includes lightning.qubit (CPU), lightning.gpu (CUDA), lightning.kokkos (multi-architecture), and lightning.tensor
    backends for accelerated circuit simulation on laptops, GPUs, and HPC clusters. Apache-2.0.
- aid: xanadu:strawberry-fields
  name: Strawberry Fields
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Photonic
  - Continuous Variable
  - Simulator
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://strawberryfields.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
  properties:
  - url: https://strawberryfields.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/XanaduAI/strawberryfields
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/StrawberryFields/
    type: SDKs
  description: Strawberry Fields is Xanadu's full-stack Python library for designing, simulating, and optimizing continuous-variable
    (CV) photonic quantum circuits. It ships Gaussian, Fock, TensorFlow, and Bosonic backends plus end-to-end differentiation
    for training photonic quantum programs across graph optimization, machine learning, and quantum chemistry workloads. Apache-2.0,
    version 0.24, 850+ stars.
- aid: xanadu:mrmustard
  name: MrMustard
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Photonic
  - Quantum Optics
  - Simulator
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://mrmustard.readthedocs.io/
  properties:
  - url: https://mrmustard.readthedocs.io/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/XanaduAI/MrMustard
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/mrmustard/
    type: SDKs
  description: MrMustard is a differentiable quantum-optics simulator that bridges phase space and Fock space with pluggable
    NumPy and JAX backends. It performs fast exact Fock-amplitude computation for Gaussian components and supports built-in
    Riemannian optimization, making it the modern successor to parts of Strawberry Fields for photonic circuit research. Apache-2.0.
- aid: xanadu:thewalrus
  name: The Walrus
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Photonic
  - Gaussian Boson Sampling
  - Hafnian
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://the-walrus.readthedocs.io/
  properties:
  - url: https://the-walrus.readthedocs.io/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/XanaduAI/thewalrus
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/thewalrus/
    type: SDKs
  description: The Walrus is a Python/C++ library for the fast calculation of hafnians, loop hafnians, and multidimensional
    Hermite polynomials — the linear-algebra primitives behind Gaussian boson sampling and photonic quantum state characterization.
    Apache-2.0; published in the Journal of Open Source Software (2019).
- aid: xanadu:blackbird
  name: Blackbird
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Photonic
  - Assembly Language
  - DSL
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://quantum-blackbird.readthedocs.io/
  properties:
  - url: https://quantum-blackbird.readthedocs.io/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/XanaduAI/blackbird
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/quantum-blackbird/
    type: SDKs
  description: Blackbird is Xanadu's quantum assembly language and intermediate representation for continuous-variable photonic
    quantum computation. It is used to program Xanadu's photonic hardware (X-series, Borealis, Aurora) and the Strawberry
    Fields simulator. Apache-2.0.
- aid: xanadu:pennylane-qiskit
  name: PennyLane-Qiskit Plugin
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Plugin
  - Qiskit
  - IBM Q
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://docs.pennylane.ai/projects/qiskit/
  properties:
  - url: https://docs.pennylane.ai/projects/qiskit/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI/pennylane-qiskit
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/PennyLane-qiskit/
    type: SDKs
  description: PennyLane plugin that integrates IBM's Qiskit framework and IBM Q hardware as PennyLane devices for differentiable
    quantum programming. Apache-2.0.
- aid: xanadu:flamingpy
  name: FlamingPy
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Error Correction
  - Fault Tolerance
  - Simulator
  - Open Source
  humanURL: https://flamingpy.readthedocs.io/
  properties:
  - url: https://flamingpy.readthedocs.io/
    type: Documentation
  - url: https://github.com/XanaduAI/flamingpy
    type: GitHubRepository
  description: FlamingPy is Xanadu's cross-platform Python library for efficient simulation of error correction in fault-tolerant
    photonic quantum computers, with a variety of pluggable decoder backends. Apache-2.0.
- aid: xanadu:xanadu-cloud-client
  name: Xanadu Cloud Client
  tags:
  - Quantum Computing
  - Cloud
  - CLI
  - SDK
  - Archived
  humanURL: https://github.com/XanaduAI/xanadu-cloud-client
  properties:
  - url: https://github.com/XanaduAI/xanadu-cloud-client
    type: GitHubRepository
  - url: https://pypi.org/project/xanadu-cloud-client/
    type: SDKs
  description: Xanadu Cloud Client (xcc) is the Python API and CLI that historically connected users to Xanadu's photonic
    quantum cloud (Borealis, X-series). Xanadu's Quantum Cloud was retired in January 2026 and the project is archived; the
    client remains a useful reference for Blackbird job submission patterns.
name: Xanadu
tags:
- Quantum Computing
- Photonic Quantum Computing
- Quantum Machine Learning
- Continuous Variable
- Open Source
- Python
- PennyLane
- Strawberry Fields
- Toronto
kind: contract
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
access: 3rd-Party
common:
- type: DomainSecurity
  url: security/xanadu-domain-security.yml
- url: https://xanadu.ai
  type: Portal
- url: https://pennylane.ai
  name: PennyLane
  type: Portal
- url: https://xanadu.ai/about
  type: Documentation
- url: https://xanadu.ai/blog
  type: Blog
- url: https://pennylane.ai/blog
  name: PennyLane Blog
  type: Blog
- url: https://xanadu.ai/careers
  type: Documentation
- url: https://github.com/XanaduAI
  name: XanaduAI GitHub
  type: GitHubOrganization
- url: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI
  name: PennyLaneAI GitHub
  type: GitHubOrganization
- url: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xanadu-quantum-technologies
  type: LinkedIn
- url: https://twitter.com/XanaduAI
  type: Twitter
- url: https://www.youtube.com/c/XanaduAI
  type: YouTube
- url: https://discuss.pennylane.ai/
  name: PennyLane Discussion Forum
  type: Forums
- url: https://pennylane.ai/qml/
  name: Quantum Machine Learning Hub
  type: Training
- url: https://pennylane.ai/codebook
  name: Xanadu Quantum Codebook
  type: Training
- url: https://pennylane.ai/qml/demonstrations/
  name: PennyLane Demos
  type: CodeExamples
- url: https://pennylane.ai/plugins
  name: PennyLane Plugins
  type: Plugins
- url: https://docs.pennylane.ai/en/stable/development/release_notes.html
  name: PennyLane Release Notes
  type: ReleaseNotes
- url: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI/pennylane/blob/master/LICENSE
  name: Apache License 2.0
  type: License
- type: Features
  data:
  - name: Photonic Quantum Hardware
    description: Continuous-variable photonic quantum processors based on squeezed states of light, including the Borealis
      Gaussian-boson-sampling device and the Aurora modular system targeting fault-tolerant scaling.
  - name: PennyLane Open-Source Framework
    description: Hardware-agnostic Python framework for differentiable quantum programming across PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow,
      and NumPy with first-class quantum machine learning and quantum chemistry support.
  - name: Plugin Ecosystem
    description: Plugins connect PennyLane to IBM Qiskit, AWS Braket, Google Cirq, IonQ, Rigetti, Microsoft QDK, Quantinuum/Honeywell,
      Qulacs, and Xanadu's own Strawberry Fields.
  - name: Lightning High-Performance Simulators
    description: C++ state-vector and tensor-network simulators with CPU, CUDA GPU, Kokkos, and tensor backends for laptop-to-HPC
      quantum circuit simulation.
  - name: Catalyst JIT Compiler
    description: MLIR-based just-in-time compiler that lowers PennyLane hybrid quantum-classical programs to native code with
      quantum control flow and end-to-end differentiation.
  - name: Photonic Software Stack
    description: Strawberry Fields, MrMustard, The Walrus, Blackbird, and FlamingPy provide continuous-variable simulation,
      differentiable optics, Gaussian-boson-sampling primitives, an assembly DSL, and fault-tolerant error-correction tooling.
  - name: Quantum Codebook and QML Hub
    description: Interactive Xanadu Quantum Codebook plus the pennylane.ai/qml hub with hundreds of research demos covering
      quantum machine learning, chemistry, and algorithms.
  sources:
  - https://xanadu.ai
  - https://pennylane.ai
  - https://docs.pennylane.ai/en/stable/
  updated: '2026-05-24'
- type: UseCases
  data:
  - name: Quantum Machine Learning Research
    description: Train hybrid quantum-classical models with automatic differentiation against simulators and real QPUs through
      a single PennyLane API.
  - name: Quantum Chemistry
    description: Run variational quantum eigensolver and chemistry workflows via pennylane.qchem, including ground state,
      excited state, and dynamics simulations.
  - name: Photonic Algorithm Research
    description: Design continuous-variable algorithms — Gaussian boson sampling, graph optimization, molecular vibronic spectra
      — in Strawberry Fields and MrMustard.
  - name: Fault-Tolerant Architecture Studies
    description: Use FlamingPy to simulate and benchmark photonic fault-tolerant quantum-computing architectures and decoders.
  - name: HPC-Scale Quantum Simulation
    description: Run large state-vector and tensor-network simulations on multi-GPU and multi-node clusters with Lightning
      + Catalyst.
  - name: Quantum Education
    description: Teach undergraduates and researchers quantum computing through the Xanadu Quantum Codebook, QHack, and the
      pennylane.ai demo library.
  updated: '2026-05-24'
- type: Integrations
  data:
  - name: IBM Qiskit / IBM Quantum
    description: PennyLane-Qiskit plugin exposes IBM Q hardware and Qiskit simulators as PennyLane devices.
  - name: AWS Braket
    description: PennyLane plugin for Amazon Braket lets PennyLane circuits run against Braket-managed simulators and partner
      QPUs.
  - name: Google Cirq
    description: PennyLane-Cirq plugin integrates Google's Cirq simulators.
  - name: IonQ
    description: PennyLane-IonQ plugin targets IonQ trapped-ion simulators and hardware.
  - name: Rigetti
    description: PennyLane-Rigetti plugin connects to Rigetti Forest QPUs and the QVM.
  - name: Quantinuum / Honeywell
    description: PennyLane-Honeywell plugin targets Quantinuum's trapped-ion systems.
  - name: Microsoft Quantum Development Kit
    description: PennyLane-qsharp plugin connects PennyLane to the Microsoft QDK simulators.
  - name: Qulacs
    description: PennyLane-Qulacs plugin provides access to the Qulacs simulator.
  - name: PyTorch / JAX / TensorFlow / NumPy
    description: First-class differentiable interfaces for every major Python ML framework.
  - name: NVIDIA cuQuantum
    description: Lightning GPU and Lightning Tensor leverage NVIDIA cuQuantum for accelerated simulation.
  updated: '2026-05-24'
created: '2026-05-24T00:00:00.000Z'
modified: '2026-05-24'
position: Producing
description: Xanadu is a Toronto-based photonic quantum computing company building cloud-accessible continuous- variable quantum
  processors based on squeezed states of light. Founded in 2016 by Christian Weedbrook and listed on TSX/Nasdaq (XNDU), Xanadu
  demonstrated a 50-million-fold Gaussian-boson-sampling speedup with Borealis in 2022 and published modular networked photonic
  quantum computing in Nature in 2025. Beyond hardware, Xanadu is one of the most prolific open-source contributors in quantum
  software — it maintains PennyLane (the de-facto cross-platform quantum ML framework), Strawberry Fields, MrMustard, The
  Walrus, Blackbird, Catalyst, Lightning, and FlamingPy, all under Apache-2.0. Xanadu's own Quantum Cloud was retired in January
  2026; the company's developer surface is now centered entirely on its open-source stack and integrations with third-party
  QPUs.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: info@apievangelist.com
  X: apievangelist
  url: https://apievangelist.com
specificationVersion: '0.16'