Tensim_API_thoughts.md

UNIX Philosophy

1. Write programs that do one thing and do it well.
2. Write programs to work together.
3. Write programs to handle text streams, because that is a universal interface.

Different concerns

• Parse the file
• Simulate circuit
  • Optimise expression (find ordering, slice, etc)
  • Actually simulate

Example of usage

Simulator program: tensim

1. Simply simulate a circuit:

   cat circuit | tensim > result

2. Simulate a circuit in a wierd format

   cat circuit | tensim parse -f wierd | tensim > result

   1. Q: Why not tensim --input-fmt wierd?

      A: Because we might have other actions working with this format

      cat circuit | tensim parse -f wierd | visualise-circ > circ.png

   2. Q: Why not tensim --input circuit, but cat circuit | tensim?

      A: Because we can a) process many circuits line-by-line and b) connect with other tools

      connect_to_db --table circuits | tensim > results

3. Simulate N generated circuits in one command

   generate_circ -n 1 >> circuits
   generate_circ -n 2 >> circuits
   ....
   cat circuits | tensim > results

4. Simulate circuit based on Hamiltonian composed of tensor network, not gates

   gen_tensor_net | tensim optimize | tensim simulate > result