Interesting...

 New start: have decided to become totally clear on what is happening

with the cirq max-cut code, which is actually python code. And thus getting

some understanding fo the cirq ecosystem...

Asked Merlin about the difference between import cirq and import cirq_google...

What is the difference between import cirq and import cirq_google?

When working with Cirq, the quantum computing framework developed by Google, you may come across two different import statements: `import cirq` and `import cirq_google`. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between these two imports:

1. `import cirq

- **Core Library**: This import statement brings in the core functionalities of Cirq, which is a general-purpose quantum computing framework designed for building and simulating quantum circuits.

- **Main Components**: By importing `cirq`, you get access to all the essential components required to define quantum gates, circuits, noise models, simulators, and other functionalities in quantum computing.

- **Standard Operations**: You will be able to perform operations such as creating qubits, defining quantum gates, constructing circuits, executing simulations, and more.

 2. `import cirq_google`

- **Google-Specific Features**: This import brings in extensions and functionalities specifically designed for Google’s quantum devices and simulators.

- **Access to Google Quantum Hardware**: By using `cirq_google`, you can access features that facilitate running circuits on Google’s quantum processors, including predefined gate sets that are compatible with Google Quantum AI hardware.

- **Noise Models and Calibration**: It also includes tools for noise modeling and other optimizations needed when working with quantum hardware.

- **Additional Utilities**: The module may contain additional utilities or libraries for compatibility with specific devices and applications in Google’s quantum ecosystem.

Summary

- **`import cirq`** is for using the foundational elements of the Cirq library regardless of the hardware, focusing on building and simulating quantum circuits in a general manner.

- **`import cirq_google`** is for employing additional functionalities that are tailored to Google-specific quantum hardware and its ecosystem, allowing you to access features and tools that cater to running programs on Google’s quantum processors.

If you are working on a quantum project intended for execution on Google’s quantum devices or making use of their specific features, you would typically use both imports in your project.                                                             

An interesting aside; at first, Merlin was quite incapable of generating viable import cirq_google

code. It kept trying to call things directly from cirq_google, and that's impossible. I sent

it the working bit of code from the max-cut example, and it gave me back code that does work.

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