An Introduction to the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm

Abstract: The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a promising variational quantum algorithm introduced to tackle classically intractable combinatorial optimization problems. This tutorial offers a comprehensive, first-principles introduction to QAOA and its properties, focusing on its application to Quadratic and Polynomial Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO and PUBO) problems. The tutorial begins by outlining variational quantum circuits and QUBO problems, focusing on their key properties and the encoding of problem constraints through quadratic penalty terms. Next, it explores the QAOA in detail, covering its Hamiltonian formulation, gate decomposition, and example applications, along with their implementation and performance results. This is followed by an analysis of the algorithm's energy landscape, where proofs are provided for its symmetry and periodicity, and where a resulting parameter space reduction is proposed. Finally, the tutorial extends these concepts to PUBO problems by generalizing the results to higher-order Hamiltonians and discussing the associated symmetries and circuit construction.