Propaq: A Python package for Heisenberg Propagation

Abstract

We introduce Propaq, a performant and flexible Python package implementing Heisenberg propagation techniques for classically simulating quantum circuits. Propaq is compatible with major quantum software packages like Qiskit and Cirq, and matches or outperforms similar state-of-the-art packages for Heisenberg propagation. Beyond this, Propaq has multiple distinguishing features for simulation and research. These include Heisenberg propagation in any basis, hybrid Schrödinger-Heisenberg simulation, custom truncation and noisy simulation methods, and detailed logging information for analyzing simulation accuracy, runtime, and memory usage. We describe these features, how to use Propaq for research, and its backend implementation.