Release, Replay, and Compatibility Templates — Operating Quantum Computers

This appendix provides templates for release trains, compatibility matrices, deprecation notices, replay envelopes, and time-travel debugging queries.

Release train record

Illustrative listing · yaml

release_train:
  train_id: qp-2026.05
  owner: quantum-platform-release
  candidate_cut: 2026-05-01
  contract_freeze: 2026-05-03
  preview_window:
    start: 2026-05-10
    end: 2026-05-15
  production_rollout:
    start: 2026-05-16
    strategy: progressive
  gates:
    - name: simulator_regression
      status: pending
    - name: hardware_canary
      status: pending
    - name: evidence_review
      status: pending

Diagram loads as you read

Release train record · Figure 1

View diagram source

flowchart LR
    Candidate[Candidate] --> Freeze[Contract freeze]
    Freeze --> Regression[Regression]
    Regression --> Canary[Hardware canary]
    Canary --> Evidence[Evidence review]
    Evidence --> Rollout[Rollout]

Compatibility matrix template

Illustrative listing · yaml

compatibility_matrix:
  platform_release: qp-2026.05
  public_contracts:
    workload_api: workload.v3
    evidence_schema: qevidence.v4
    replay_envelope: replay.v2
  supported_sdks:
    qiskit: ">=2.0,<3.0"
    cirq: ">=1.4,<2.0"
  compiler_targets:
    - target_id: qpu-grid-v4
      status: supported
      removal_after: null
  breaking_changes:
    - surface: mitigation_defaults
      description: default ZNE profile removed
      migration: specify zne.v2 explicitly

Deprecation notice template

Illustrative listing · markdown

# Deprecation Notice: <surface> <version>

- Notice date:
- Removal date:
- Affected workloads:
- Replacement:
- Migration steps:
- Replay impact:
- Evidence impact:
- Owner:
- Exception process:

Diagram loads as you read

Deprecation notice template · Figure 2

View diagram source

flowchart TB
    Notice[Notice] --> Affected[Affected workloads]
    Affected --> Migration[Migration plan]
    Migration --> Exceptions[Exceptions]
    Exceptions --> Removal[Removal]

Replay envelope template

Illustrative listing · yaml

replay_envelope:
  envelope_id:
  result_id:
  workload_id:
  workload_hash:
  circuit_hash:
  compiled_circuit_hash:
  compiler:
    name:
    version:
    target_id:
  runtime:
    primitive:
    version:
    options_hash:
    shots:
  calibration:
    baseline_id:
    backend_id:
    valid_from:
    valid_until:
  mitigation:
    profile:
    version:
    training_artifacts:
  analysis:
    container_digest:
    command:
    random_seed:
  retention:
    class:
    expires_at:

Replay decision table

Replay level	Required artifacts	Failure response
L0 metadata	IDs and timestamps	audit-only
L1 analysis	raw counts and analysis container	quarantine if missing
L2 simulation	compiled circuit and simulator model	mark statistical delta
L3 provider	compatible backend and provider contract	reroute if unavailable
L4 reconstruction	archived calibration and full environment	downgrade claim if unavailable

Time-travel query starter pack

Illustrative listing · sql

-- Claims affected by a deprecated compiler target
SELECT claim_id, workload_id, accepted_at
FROM claims
WHERE compiler_target_id = 'qpu-grid-v3'
  AND claim_status = 'accepted';

-- Results missing replay envelopes
SELECT r.result_id
FROM results AS r
WHERE NOT EXISTS (
  SELECT 1 FROM replay_envelopes AS e
  WHERE e.result_id = r.result_id
);

-- Workloads affected by a provider advisory
SELECT workload_id, provider_job_id
FROM execution_events
WHERE provider_id = 'provider-a'
  AND execution_start BETWEEN '2026-05-01' AND '2026-05-08';

Additional technical sources: [R295].