QAOA stands for Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm. It is a quantum algorithm designed to tackle combinatorial optimisation problems by finding good approximate solutions rather than exact ones. These are problems that involve choosing the best option from an enormous number of possibilities, which arise across logistics, scheduling, finance, and machine learning.
QAOA is a hybrid algorithm. A quantum processor prepares and measures a parameterised quantum circuit, while a classical optimiser adjusts the circuit’s parameters to steer it toward better solutions. This division of labour keeps the quantum circuits short, which is why QAOA is significant in the NISQ era. It can be run on near-term devices that cannot yet support deep, fully error-corrected circuits.
Whether QAOA delivers a practical advantage over classical optimisation methods remains an active research question, and results so far are promising rather than settled. Like other variational algorithms, it is expected to become more powerful as hardware improves and qubit counts grow.