Quantum Software Bugs: A Large-Scale Empirical Study
Research Paper#Quantum Software Engineering🔬 Research|Analyzed: Jan 3, 2026 08:50•
Published: Dec 31, 2025 06:05
•1 min read
•ArXivAnalysis
This paper provides a crucial first large-scale, data-driven analysis of software defects in quantum computing projects. It addresses a critical gap in Quantum Software Engineering (QSE) by empirically characterizing bugs and their impact on quality attributes. The findings offer valuable insights for improving testing, documentation, and maintainability practices, which are essential for the development and adoption of quantum technologies. The study's longitudinal approach and mixed-method methodology strengthen its credibility and impact.
Key Takeaways
- •Full-stack libraries and compilers are most defect-prone.
- •Quantum-specific bugs disproportionately degrade performance, maintainability, and reliability.
- •Automated testing is associated with a significant reduction in defect incidence.
- •Defect densities peaked between 2017 and 2021, indicating ecosystem maturation.
Reference / Citation
View Original"Full-stack libraries and compilers are the most defect-prone categories due to circuit, gate, and transpilation-related issues, while simulators are mainly affected by measurement and noise modeling errors."