Quantum computing is a type of computing that uses quantum-mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. These phenomena allow quantum computers to perform certain calculations much faster than classical computers.

In classical computers, information is stored in bits, which can be either 0 or 1. Quantum computers, on the other hand, use quantum bits, or qubits, which can represent both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This property, known as superposition, allows quantum computers to perform many calculations at once, potentially making them much faster than classical computers for certain tasks.

Quantum computers also use a phenomenon called entanglement, in which the state of one qubit is linked to the state of another qubit, even if they are separated by large distances. This allows quantum computers to perform certain calculations much faster than classical computers, which cannot take advantage of this phenomenon.

Quantum computers are still in the early stages of development and are not yet widely available. However, they have the potential to solve certain problems that are currently intractable for classical computers, such as factoring large numbers or searching large databases. They may also have applications in fields such as chemistry, material science, and machine learning.