Quantum Algorithms Database
Quantum Annealing
A specialized, non-gate-based quantum computing approach that finds low-energy solutions to optimization problems by gradually evolving a quantum system.
Year
1989 (theory) / 2011 (first commercial hardware)
Inventor(s)
Apolloni, Carlucci & Cerf (theory); D-Wave Systems (hardware)
Speedup Type
Heuristic (No Proven Speedup)
Difficulty
★★★☆☆
The Problem
Finding near-optimal solutions to combinatorial optimization problems (like scheduling, routing, or portfolio selection).
How It Works
Starts qubits in a simple, easily prepared quantum state and slowly evolves the system toward a final configuration encoding the problem, exploiting quantum tunneling to escape local minima that would trap classical methods.
Real-World Impact
Commercially available today via D-Wave's quantum annealers, used in early-stage optimization research, though whether it provides genuine quantum advantage over classical heuristics remains debated.