# Project History

**TensorCircuit** was originally conceived and initiated in **April 2020** by **Shi-Xin Zhang (@refraction-ray)** as an independent research project, inspired by the MPS quantum simulator [mpsim](https://github.com/grmlarose/mpsim) and the introduction of the Google [TensorNetwork](https://github.com/google/TensorNetwork) package.

- **Academic Foundation (2020.04 - 2021.06):** The core architecture and initial algorithms were developed and open-sourced during his doctoral research at **Tsinghua University**. This foundational version was [archived](https://github.com/refraction-ray/tensorcircuit) to preserve the original research lineage.

- **Industrial Standardization (2021.07 - 2024.07):** During his time at **Tencent**, the [project](https://github.com/tencent-quantum-lab/tensorcircuit) was transitioned into a universal open-source framework under the **Apache License 2.0**. This phase focused on industry-standard optimization and community-wide adoption.

- **The Next Generation (2024.08 - Present):** Now as an **Associate Professor at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOP CAS)**, Shi-Xin Zhang leads the development of **TensorCircuit-NG (Next Generation)**. This current iteration represents a significant evolution, focusing on the fusion of quantum computing, super computing, and intelligent computing, as well as an expanded ecosystem.

As the founder and lead maintainer, Shi-Xin Zhang asserts the project's continuity and academic independence, while thanking the global community for their [contributions](https://github.com/tensorcircuit/tensorcircuit-ng#contributors) under the open-source governance model.