Quantum Software Engineering: Something Old, Something New; Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Authors

  • Jose Garcia-Alonso University of Extremadura, Spain
  • Majid Haghparast University of Jyväskylä, Finland
  • Tommi Mikkonen University of Jyväskylä, Finland
  • Juan Manuel Murillo Rodríguez University of Extremadura, Spain
  • Vlad Stirbu University of Jyväskylä, Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/jwe1540-9589.2526

Keywords:

Quantum computing, quantum software, quantum software engineering, quantum programming

Abstract

Quantum software engineering has gained a lot of attention recently. Multiple traditional software engineering events have introduced a quantum software track, or a co-located quantum related workshop or other side event, indicating that quantum software is becoming a popular research topic, with more and more software engineering researchers contributing to its evolution. In this paper, we address software engineering research that aims at solving problems that emerge when quantum programs are used on industry domains. The paper is based on the keynote at the IEEE Symposium on Quantum Software: Quantum Software Engineering 2025, which took place in Helsinki, Finland, Summer of 2025. In particular, we address the state of research in quantum software engineering, its novel aspects as well as its connections to other branches of software engineering. Furthermore, in the light of this research, we also assess the maturity of quantum software engineering in the light of industry expectations.

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Author Biographies

Jose Garcia-Alonso, University of Extremadura, Spain

Jose Garcia-Alonso is an associate professor at the University of Extremadura in Spain, where he also earned his Ph.D. in software engineering. His research spans quantum software engineering, pervasive and mobile computing, e-Health, and service-oriented systems, yielding numerous publications and leading to significant funded research projects in these areas. He has also played an active role in technology transfer and entrepreneurship, contributing to the founding of technology-based companies, and serves as Director of Technology Transfer and Business Development at the university, fostering collaboration between academia and industry.

Majid Haghparast, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Majid Haghparast is an associate professor at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, where he teaches and conducts research on quantum programming and quantum computing. He served as a research fellow during a sabbatical at Johannes Kepler University in Austria and is an IEEE Senior Member. Haghparast is an associate editor and board member for several international journals, including Cluster Computing and Journal of Computational Electronics. His research spans high-performance and distributed systems to quantum algorithms and software development.

Tommi Mikkonen, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Tommi Mikkonen works as a professor of software engineering at University of Jyväskylä, Finland. He has a strong interest in modern software development practices, software architectures, quantum software, and open source ecosystems. Alongside academic research and teaching, he collaborates closely with industry and open source communities, aiming to bridge theory and real-world software development. He received his doctorate in 1999 at Tampere University of Technology, Finland.

Juan Manuel Murillo Rodríguez, University of Extremadura, Spain

Juan Manuel Murillo Rodríguez is a Spanish computer scientist and full professor of software engineering at the University of Extremadura, where he has spent most of his academic career developing research and teaching excellence in software architecture, distributed systems, and service-oriented computing. His work bridges fundamental research and practical impact, active roles in professional societies, and leadership in technology transfer, including co-founding the tech startup GLOIN S.L. Beyond research, he has held institutional roles at the University of Extremadura and contributes to regional advanced computing initiatives through the COMPUTAEX Foundation.

Vlad Stirbu, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Vlad Stirbu works as an associate professor of quantum software engineering at University of Jyväskylä, Finland. His current interest includes software development methodologies for software-intensive products and services, as well as software middleware for hybrid quantum-classical computing. He holds more than 15 US patents. He received his doctorate degree in 2012 at Tampere University of Technology, Finland.

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Published

2026-03-10

How to Cite

Garcia-Alonso, J. ., Haghparast, M. ., Mikkonen, T. ., Rodríguez, J. M. M. ., & Stirbu, V. . (2026). Quantum Software Engineering: Something Old, Something New; Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Journal of Web Engineering, 25(02), 283–298. https://doi.org/10.13052/jwe1540-9589.2526

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Articles