Quantum software may get a common blueprint before practical quantum computers even exist. Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fraunhofer IAO and the FZI Research Center for Information Technology have developed what KIT calls the world’s first holistic reference architecture for quantum software, under a project called FullStaQD. This article is based on KIT press release 084/2026, dated 7 October 2026, so it is a few weeks old, but the project’s first milestone is now public.
Why quantum software needs a standard
KIT notes that there are no quantum computers today that are fit for everyday practical use. The systems are still prone to errors and mostly limited to research labs. There are also no common standards for hardware or software.
“The software landscape for quantum computing is really fragmented. For this reason, many software solutions are closely tied to a particular type of hardware,” says Philipp Kunst, project manager at Fraunhofer IAO. “This impairs collaboration and makes it difficult to develop software in the long-term.”
Professor Ina Schaefer of KIT’s Institute of Information Security and Dependability (KASTEL) puts it more bluntly: “We want to avoid a repetition of 1960s software crisis.” At that time, powerful computers existed, but mature software to use them was missing.
A “power outlet” for quantum software
Instead of writing software for one specific quantum computer, Schaefer’s team is building a reference architecture, a blueprint for how different quantum computers and software should work together. She explains it with an everyday example:
“Nobody knows today which devices will be connected to a power outlet in 20 years. Nevertheless, there are standards for power sockets and plugs. They don’t specify the device to be constructed, but only how the devices interact with the power supply.”
In the same way, the architecture does not define a particular type of quantum hardware or specific applications. It describes the functions of each layer of a quantum software system and how the layers communicate.
The three layers of the quantum software architecture
FullStaQD splits quantum software into three layers:
- Applications: programs for specific tasks, for example in logistics or materials research.
- System: the middle layer that links applications to hardware.
- Hardware: the quantum computer itself.
“This way, it is possible to refine applications and hardware independently from each other. Those who work on new applications don’t have to know the technical details of the hardware,” says Oliver Denninger, head of the FZI Software Engineering research division. New hardware can then evolve without every program being rewritten.
What comes next for FullStaQD
The first version of the reference architecture has been published online. In the next phase, the partners will develop an open-source reference implementation with freely available components, which KIT says will be presented in the year to come. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is funding the project with about EUR 15 million, of which KIT receives roughly EUR 700,000.
“To ensure that quantum computing will be economically viable in the future, we must develop the software side on par with the hardware,” Kunst says. For a hardware-side view of the same field, see our story on GPUs cutting quantum error correction calibration time.
The case for and against
The case for FullStaQD is that standards are easier to set early, before many incompatible tools become entrenched. A shared architecture could let developers build applications without being locked to one hardware maker.
The case for caution is that a reference architecture is only useful if others adopt it. The release does not say which companies or hardware makers have signed up, and the working software implementation is still to come. Calling it a “world first” is KIT’s own description.
My view on quantum software standards
As a writer, I feel the power outlet comparison is a very clear way to explain why this matters. The history of computing shows that software often lags behind hardware, and planning for that now is sensible. Whether FullStaQD becomes a real standard will depend on adoption, and I will be watching for the open-source release.
FAQ: FullStaQD quantum software architecture
What is FullStaQD?
It is a German research project led by Fraunhofer IAO, with KIT and FZI, that has produced a reference architecture for quantum software.
What are the three layers?
Applications, system and hardware. The system layer links programs to the quantum computer.
Who funds the project?
Germany’s BMFTR, with about EUR 15 million in total and roughly EUR 700,000 going to KIT.