Implementing a programming language for a classical computer is considered a solved topic, to the point that it's the kind of homework that can easily be handed out to CS students.

Implementing a programming language for an analog computer, now? Or for an analog quantum computer? That's a different story. How can you compiler or interpret a set of instructions on a machine that is defined not by memory and a machine language, not even by a circuit, but by physical laws?

Qlafoutea is an ongoing experiment at Pasqal, hoping to bring us one step closer to answering this question. We'll take a look under the hood at the physical limitations, the various compilation steps and what we can do so far.