Qiskit IBM Transpiler MCP Server

Name: Qiskit IBM Transpiler MCP Server
Author: qiskit

by qiskitcommunityv0.3.1

An MCP server for Qiskit transpilation that provides AI-based routing and synthesis passes for quantum circuits. It accepts QASM 3.0 or base64-encoded QPY input and returns optimized circuits, typically as base64-encoded QPY output.

From the registry: MCP server for AI Transpiler IBM Quantum services

GitHub Repository Website

Install & configure

Prerequisites

required
Install Python 3.10-3.13
Python version 3.10 or newer and below 3.14 is required to run the server.
required
Install the server package from PyPI
Install the MCP server package using pip. This is the simplest portable installation path described in the README.
```
$ pip install qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server
```
required
Obtain IBM Quantum API token
An IBM Quantum token is used by the server via the QISKIT_IBM_TOKEN environment variable, unless credentials are already saved in the local Qiskit configuration. In default MCP usage, setting the token is the practical way to make the server work.

Install in your client

Paste into the AI you're chatting with — it will figure out the rest

Please install the `qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server` MCP server into my current AI client (that's you).

Required prerequisites (do these first if not already done):
- **Install Python 3.10-3.13** — Python version 3.10 or newer and below 3.14 is required to run the server.
- **Install the server package from PyPI** — Install the MCP server package using pip. This is the simplest portable installation path described in the README. Run: `pip install qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server`
- **Obtain IBM Quantum API token** — An IBM Quantum token is used by the server via the QISKIT_IBM_TOKEN environment variable, unless credentials are already saved in the local Qiskit configuration. In default MCP usage, setting the token is the practical way to make the server work.

Canonical MCP server config (stdio transport):
- command: `qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server`
- args: []
- required environment variables:
  - `QISKIT_IBM_TOKEN`: IBM Quantum API token used to authenticate with IBM Quantum services. The README says the server can also use previously saved credentials from the local Qiskit config, but in standard MCP config this environment variable is the practical default. (example: `<your-ibm-quantum-api-token>`)

Note: The README shows running via `uv run qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server` for source/uv workflows, but the simpler portable installed command from PyPI is `qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server`. The server is described as listening for MCP connections and the example client config uses `transport: stdio`.

Add this MCP server to my current client's config in the correct format for you. If you need secrets or credentials I haven't provided, ASK me — do not invent values or leave raw placeholders. After adding it, tell me how to verify the server is connected.

Note: The README shows running via `uv run qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server` for source/uv workflows, but the simpler portable installed command from PyPI is `qiskit-ibm-transpiler-mcp-server`. The server is described as listening for MCP connections and the example client config uses `transport: stdio`.

Tools (7)

setup_ibm_quantum_account

Configure an IBM Quantum account using an API token or saved credentials.

ai_routing

Route a quantum circuit by inserting SWAP operations to make it compatible with a backend coupling map.

hybrid_ai_transpile

Transpile a quantum circuit using a hybrid pass manager that combines heuristic Qiskit optimization with AI-powered transpiler passes.

ai_clifford_synthesis

Synthesize Clifford circuits composed of H, S, and CX gates.

ai_linear_function_synthesis

Synthesize linear function circuits using AI.

ai_permutation_synthesis

Synthesize permutation circuits using AI.

ai_pauli_network_synthesis

Synthesize Pauli network circuits using AI.

Environment variables

QISKIT_IBM_TOKENrequiredIBM Quantum API token used to authenticate with IBM Quantum services when no token is passed directly or saved credentials are unavailable.