Homotopy limits and colimits

By Ruben S anchez-Garca
1. Motivation
1.1. Homotopy invariance of (co)limits. Limits and colimits do exist in the category of topological
spaces; essentially, colimits are quotients of the disjoint union of the spaces, and limits are subspaces of the
cartesian product. However, they do not exist in the homotopy category, i.e., limits and colimits are not
invariant under homotopy equivalence. Here is a counterexample.
Consider the following diagram of spaces
S
n1


//
D
n
D
n
where S
n1
is the (n 1)-sphere, D
n
the n-disk and the maps are the inclusions. The push-out (colimit) of
this diagram consists on gluing two copies of D
n
along their boundary. The result is an n-sphere. On the
other hand, we know that a disk is contractible D
n
so we have the homotopy equivalent diagram
S
n1

//

whose push-out is just a point. However, S

n
.
Push-outs (and in general limits and colimits) in the category T of (unbased) topological spaces are not
invariant up to homotopy equivalence. Our goal is to nd homotopy invariant limits and colimits in T .
If you are craving for a counterexample of homotopy invariance for limits, consider the following pull-back
diagrams,
Z

//
R

//
S
1

//

//
S
1
The map on the left is the usual covering of the circle, and X is either or empty, depending on whether
we contract R into a point in the bre or not. In any case, Z X.
Remark 1.1. Somehow, the limits and colimits on the rst diagrams of our examples seem to be the
right ones. Our denition of homotopy (co)limits should detect these right (co)limits, independently of
the homotopy equivalent diagram we start o with.
1
1.2. Homotopy push-outs. In order to illustrate how homotopy colimits will look like, we now give
an explicit description of the homotopy push-out of a diagram of spaces
X
g

f
//
Y
Z
In an ordinary colimit, we should glue together a copy of X to Y , and to Z via its image f(X) Y ,
g(X) Z respectively. This may kill the homotopy type of X, as in the example above where an (n 1)-
sphere gets sent to a point. What we will do is to rst cross X with a unit interval (a 1-simplex) X [0, 1]
and then identify X X {0} and X X {1} with the subspaces f(X) and g(X) of Y respectively Z
as before. The homotopy push-out is therefore the quotient space (see Figure 1)
P = Y (X [0, 1]) Z/
where consists on the identications
(x, 0) f(x)
(x, 1) g(x)
Going back to the initial example, we can see that now we get the same answer for both diagrams:
S
n1


//
D
n

D
n //
P
1
S
n1

//

//
P
2
P
1
= D
n
(S
1
[0, 1]) D
n
/ P
2
= (S
1
[0, 1]) /
and both P
1
and P
2
are homotopy equivalent to S
n
.
1.3. Homotopy colimit as a functor. More formally, the homotopy colimit will be a functor from
the category of diagrams of spaces into T . Given D a small category (think of D as the shape of a diagram),
write T
D
for the category of functors F : D T , and natural transformations; that is, T
D
is the category
of diagrams of spaces with the shape of D. The homotopy (co)limit will be a functor
hocolim
D
: T
D
T
which satisfy the following homotopy invariance property
given two functors F, F

: D T and a natural transformation : F F

such that
d
: F(d)
F

(d) is a homotopy equivalence for all d D, then

hocolim(F) hocolim(F

) .
But we also want this homotopy colimit to coincide with the ordinary colimit when the diagram is the
right one. That will be the case when all the maps between spaces are cobrations.
X
Z Y
f X ( ) g X ( )
Figure 1. Homotopy push-out
2




Figure 2. Standard simplices
if F() : F(d) F(d

) is a cobration for each : d d

in D then
hocolim(F) colim(F) .
In the examples on Section 1.1, the arrows in the rst diagrams are all inclusions so brations, while in
the second diagram they are not. In fact, the homotopy push-out described on Section 1.2 factors the map
f : X Y into a cobration X X [0, 1] and a weak equivalence X [0, 1] Z.
Remark 1.2. This reminds of the factorization axiom on a model category. In fact, homotopy (co)limits
make sense for a closed model category with a tensor and cotensor products over simplicial sets (so that
objects as X [0, 1] make sense). We will not talk in that generality.
1.4. Homotopy limit as a functor. Dually, the homotopy limit with respect to a small category D
will be a functor
hocolim
D
: T
D
T
which satises analogous homotopy invariance property and coincide with ordinary limit when all the maps
in the diagram are brations.
2. Simplicial and cosimplicial objects
In order to dene homotopy limits and colimits, we need to embark on a journey through the world of
simplicial and cosimplicial objects. Recall that for our denition of homotopy push-out, the trick was to
factor f : X Z by X X[0, 1] Z. For more complicated diagrams, in particular for each non-trivial
composition of n maps
X
0
//
X
1
// . . . //
X
n
we will take the product of the source space X
0
by a n-simplex [n]. Dually, for homotopy limits, we will
take hom([n], X
n
).
This journey is worth doing on its own, since simplicial objects appear everywhere in mathematics, but
it may make you feel dizzy if it is the rst time you encounter them.
2.1. Standard simplices. The basic idea of (co)simplicial objects is to mimic the properties and
relations of standard simplices in other categories. So let us have a look at them rst.
Definition 2.1. A standard n-simplex [n] is the subspace of R
n+1
given by
[n] = {(t
0
, . . . , t
n
) | t
i
0, t
0
+. . . +t
n
= 1} .
That is, [n] is the convex subset of R
n+1
generated by (n + 1) points, called vertices, with position
vectors e
1
, . . . , e
n+1
, the standard basis. Hence, an n-simplex is a kind of n-dimensional triangle, made of
smaller dimension simplices, called faces. See the rst examples in Figure 2.
A simplex is characterized by its vertices and an ordering on them. The number of vertices tell us which
n-simplex is, with each subset of vertices corresponding to a face. The ordering allows us to distinguish
among dierent faces of the same dimension (rst, second, third, . . . ).
3
Definition 2.2. An abstract simplicial complex is a pair (V, S) where V is a set and S is a collection
of nite subsets of V such that
(1) if

and S then

S;
(2) for each v V , {v} S.
An ordered simplicial complex is an abstract simplicial complex (V, S) such that V has a (partial) ordering
which is total when restricted to the elements of any S.
Thus, an n-simplex is an example of an ordered simplicial complex, if we take V = {1, . . . , n} with the
natural ordering and S = all subsets.
A map between simplices (or generally, ordered simplicial complexes) must then be a map sending
vertices to vertices and (weakly) preserving the ordering
v
i
v
j
f(v
i
) f(v
j
) .
Such association extends to a continuous map f : [n] [m]. Note that we say weakly order preserving,
since we do not require injectivity, as we want to allow to collapse vertices (only way to dene f, for
instance, if n > m).
All this information can be encoded in the following category.
Definition 2.3. The category consists on totally ordered nite sets and weakly order-preserving
maps. More precisely, we have one object n = {0 < 1 < . . . < n} for each n 0, and maps : n m such
that
i j (i) (j) .
We have then a functor T sending n to [n], and : n m to a continuous map
(2.4) () : [n] [m]
as described above.
The morphisms in can be described more explicitly. For each n 0 and 0 i n, consider the maps
(2.5) d
i
n
: n 1 n s
i
n
: n + 1 n
given by repeating, respectively removing, i (Im sure you know what I mean). To ease the notation, we
will remove the subscripts from now on.
Proposition 2.6. Any order-preserving map is a composition of some of the d
i
s and s
j
s.
The proof is easy; any map among vertices consists of a composition of removing and repeating vertex
operations, if you think about it.
Hence all morphisms in are generated by the d
i
s and s
j
s. What are the relations ?
Proposition 2.7. For each n 0, the maps d
i
and s
i
(2.5) satisfy
d
j
d
i
= d
i
d
j1
i < j
s
j
s
i
= s
i1
s
j
i > j
s
j
d
i
= d
i
s
j1
i < j (2.8)
= id i = j, j + 1
= d
i1
s
j
i > j + 1 .
The relations above are called the cosimplicial relations. The proof is a warming-up exercise, left to the
reader.
The maps d
i
and s
i
extend to continuous maps (2.4), often written with the same symbols,
(2.9)
d
i
= (d
i
) : [n 1] [n]
s
i
= (s
i
) : [n + 1] [n] .
4
2.2. Simplicial and cosimplicial objects. Let C be a small category. We want to mimic the prop-
erties of standard simplices in C; those properties are encoded in the category (Denition 2.3); hence, we
should look at functors from into C.
Definition 2.10. A simplicial object in C is a contravariant functor X :
//
C .
Definition 2.11. A cosimplicial object is a covariant functor X :
//
C .
Since we know that the morphisms of are generated by the d
i
s and s
j
s, and the relations they satisfy
(Proposition 2.7), we have the following equivalent denitions.
Definition 2.12. A cosimplicial object in C consists on
- objects X
n
ob(C) for each n 0;
- morphisms d
i
: X
n1
X
n
, s
i
: X
n+1
X
n
, for each n 0 and 0 i n, satisfying the
cosimplicial relations (2.8).
The elements of X
n
are the n-cosimplices, the maps d
i
are called coface maps and the s
i
codegeneracy maps.
Since a simplicial object is contravariant, we have to dualize the previous denition.
Definition 2.13. A simplicial object in C consists on
- objects X
n
ob(C) for each n 0,
- morphisms d
i
: X
n
X
n1
, s
i
: X
n
X
n+1
, for each n 0, 0 i n, satisfying the simplicial
relations listed below.
The elements of X
n
are the n-simplices, the maps d
i
are called face maps and the s
i
degeneracy maps.
The simplicial relations are the dual of the cosimplicial ones,
d
i
d
j
= d
j1
d
i
i < j
s
i
s
j
= s
j
s
i1
i > j
d
i
s
j
= s
j1
d
i
i < j (2.14)
= id i = j, j + 1
= s
j
d
i1
i > j + 1 .
The main examples of simplicial objects for us will be when C is the category of sets or the category
of topological spaces; the corresponding simplicial objects are called simplicial sets and simplicial spaces.
Analogously we dene cosimplicial sets and cosimplicial spaces.
Remark 2.15. In the context of simplicial objects, the term space is often used to mean a simplicial
set and therefore a simplicial space means a simplicial object over the category of simplicial sets (feeling
dizzy?). This is justied because the relation between topological spaces and simplicial sets is very close; see
Remark 2.20.
The rst example of simplicial object will be, not very surprisingly, any topological space.
2.3. Topological spaces as simplicial sets. What should play the role of simplices for a general
topological space X? One possibility is to look at (continuous) maps from [n] into X. Dene
Sing(X)
n
= hom([n], X) , n 0 ,
with face and degeneracy maps given by precomposition by d
i
and s
i
strictly, by the induced maps (d
i
)
and (s
i
) in (2.9). Namely,
d
i
: [n 1]
(d
i
)
//
[n]
//
X
s
i
: [n + 1]
(s
i
)
//
[n]
//
X
The resulting simplicial set is written Sin(X). This is really a functor from T into SS, the category of
simplicial sets. Alternatively, we could consider Sin() a functor into simplicial spaces, by putting the
compact-open topology in hom([n], X).
5
Remark 2.16. Note that a set is the same as a discrete topological space (namely, the category of sets
is equivalent to the full subcategory D T of discrete topological spaces). Therefore, from now on, we will
talk in more generality about simplicial spaces, with simplicial sets as a particular case.
2.4. The realization of a simplicial space. Given a simplicial space X, we will construct a topo-
logical space |X|, called its realization. Later on, we will describe the dual construction, the totalization of
a cosimplicial space.
Definition 2.17. The realization of a simplicial space X is the quotient of the disjoint union

n
X
n
[n]
by the relations
(2.18)
(d
i
x, y) (x, d
i
y)
(s
i
x, y) (x, s
i
y) .
Here, the maps d
i
, s
i
are the face/degeneracy maps of X, and d
i
, s
i
the maps in (2.9).
In order to easily dualize this concept, we will now express it in a more fancy way, as the coequalizer (of
topological spaces)

:mn
X
n
[m]
f
//
f

//

n
X
n
[n]
coeq
//
|X| .
The rst disjoint union is taken over all order-preserving maps : m n, and f and f

are dened as
follows. To give a map from a disjoint union, we have to specify the image of an element in each factor. Fix
an order-preserving map : m n. It induces maps (recall Denition 2.10 and equation 2.4)

= X() : X
n
//
X
m

= () : [m]
//
[n] .
Now dene
f = (

, id) : X
n
[m]
//
X
m
[m]
f

= (id,

) : X
n
[m]
//
X
n
[n]
(Rigorously, these are the restrictions of f and f

to X
n
[m].) Hence, taking the coequalizer amounts to
identify
(

x, y) (x,

y)
for each order-preserving , and we know it is enough to do so for the face and degeneracy maps, so both
denitions agree.
Remark 2.19. If X is a simplicial set, it can be shown that |X| is a CW-complex with one n-cell for
each non-degenerate n-simplex (a simplex x X
n
is degenerate if there is x

X
n1
such that s
i
(x

) = x,
for some s
i
).
Remark 2.20. The singular and realization functors determine a Quillen equivalence between the model
categories of topological spaces and simplicial sets,
T
Sing()
//
SS
||
oo
(In particular, |Sing(X)| is weak equivalent to X, so any space is weak equivalent to the realization of a
simplicial set.) Therefore, they induce an equivalence of the corresponding homotopy categories (details in
the bibliography). This justies the slogan that for doing homotopy theory, the category of simplicial sets is
a good category of combinatorial or algebraic models.
6
2.5. Totalization of a cosimplicial space. This is the dual construction. For a cosimplicial space
X, dene its totalization as the equalizer
tot(X)
eq
//

n
hom([n] X
n
)
g
//
g

//

:nm
hom([n] X
m
)
where g and g

are dened as follows. Fix an order-preserving : n m; it induces

X() : X
n
//
X
m
() : [n]
//
[m]
Take an element = {
n
: [n] X
n
}
n0


n
hom([n], X
n
). The th factors of g() and g

() are
given by the composition
[n]
n
//
X
n
X()
//
X
m
[n]
()
//
[m]
m
//
X
m
In other words, we have the commutative diagram
[n]
()

n
//
X
n
X()

[m]
m
//
X
m
Remark 2.21. This reminds of a natural transformation. Indeed, it is; tot(X) can be dened as the
function space hom(, X) of natural transformations between the cosimplicial spaces and X (details in
Bouseld-Kan).
3. Homotopy limits and colimits
Let C be a small category and F : C T a functor. To dene its homotopy colimit, we will construct a
simplicial object called its simplicial replacement

F and then take its realization. Dually, its homotopy

limit will be the totalization of its cosimplicial replacement

F.
3.1. Nerve of a category. There is a natural simplicial set arising from a small category C. It amounts
to drawing the category C.
Definition 3.1. The nerve of C is the simplicial set N(C) with n-simplices the chains of n composable
morphisms in C and face and degeneracy maps corresponding to forget c
i
, respectively insert the identity
at c
i
:
(3.2)
n-simplices: c
0
1
c
1
2
. . .
n
c
n
N(C)
n
face and degeneracy maps:
d
i
(c
0
. . . c
n
) =

c
0
. . . c
i1
i+1i
c
i+1
. . . c
n
0 < i < n
c
1
. . . c
n
i = 0
c
0
. . . c
n1
i = n
s
i
(c
0
. . . c
n
) = c
0
. . . c
i
id
c
i
. . . c
n
0 i n
3.2. Simplicial replacement. Now, the simplicial replacement of F : C T is the simplicial space

F with n-simplices

n
=

c0

1
...
n
cn
N(C)n
F(c
0
)
and face and degeneracy maps as follows. Write F(c
0
)

for the copy of F(c

0
) corresponding to = (c
0
1

c
1
2
. . .
n
c
n
) N(C)
n
. We have the (n + 1)-chain s
i
() (3.2), whose rst element is again c
0
.
7
Therefore, there is another copy of F(c
0
) in (

F)
n+1
corresponding to s
i
(), written F(c
0
)
si()
. Dene
the degeneracy map (we use the same symbol)
s
i
: (

F)
n
(

F)
n+1
at as the identity F(c
0
)

F(c
0
)
si()
.
Similarly, d
i
() is a (n 1)-chain whose rst element is c
0
if i > 0 and c
1
if i = 0. Dene the face map
d
i
: (

F)
n
(

F)
n1
at as the identity in F(c
0
) if i > 0 and F(c
0
)

F(1)
F(c
1
)
di()
if i = 0. We will see a more explicit
construction and a few examples later (Sections 3.5 and 3.6).
3.3. Cosimplicial replacement. This is the dual construction. The cosimplicial replacement of F :
C T is the cosimplicial space

F with n-cosimplices

n
=

c0

1
...
n
cn
N(C)n
F(c
n
)

.
The coface and codegeneracy maps are dened in a similar fashion, using the d
i
s and s
i
s of the nerve of C
(3.2). Namely, take F(c
n
) corresponding to = (c
0
1
c
1
2
. . .
n
c
n
). We have to dene a map

0
...c

n+1
F(c

n+1
) F(c
n
)
The (n+1)-chain s
i
() must appear on the left-hand side. Hence we take the composition of the projection
onto the s
i
()th factor and the identity

0
...c

n+1
F(c

n+1
)
proj
//
F(c
n
)
si()
id
//
F(c
n
)

as the codegeneracy map. For the coface, we do similarly: d

i
() is a (n1)-chain and we take the composition

0
...c

n1
F(c

n1
)
proj
//
F(c
n
)
di()
id
//
F(c
n
)
if i < n

0
...c

n1
F(c

n1
)
proj
//
F(c
n1
)
di()
F(n)
//
F(c
n
)
if i = n
3.4. The major denitions, at last. We can now give the (rather abstract) denition of homotopy
(co)limit. Let F : C T a functor from a small category to topological spaces.
Definition 3.3. The homotopy colimit of F is the realization of the simplicial replacement of F,
hocolim
C
F =

.
Definition 3.4. The homotopy limit of F is the totalization of the cosimplicial replacement of F,
colim
C
F = tot

.
In the following sections, we give a more explicit construction of the homotopy (co)limit functor and
some examples.
8
3.5. Homotopy colimit: Explicit construction. The space hocolim
C
F is constructed by taking the
disjoint union of
for each object c
0
C, a copy of F(c
0
) ( F(c
0
) [0]);
for each arrow c
0
c
1
in C, a copy of F(c
0
) [1];
in general, for each chain of n-composable arrows c
0
. . . c
n
in C, a copy of F(c
0
) [n];
with identications (we are a bit imprecise here, for the sake of clarity)
- collapse F(c
0
) [n] to something smaller if c
0
. . . c
n
contains the identity map;
- identify F(c
0
) [n] F(c
0
) [n] with the appropriate subspace arising from chains of smaller
length.
The rst identications are induced by the s
i
s, and can be avoided just disregarding the identity morphisms
in C; the second ones are induced by the d
i
s, recall (2.18).
All this will probably make more sense after a few examples.
3.6. Homotopy colimit: Examples.
Example 3.5. Suppose that
C =
//
, F(
//
) = A
f
//
B
(we dont draw the identity maps). We take a copy of each space, and a copy of A [1] for the only
non-identity map f,
AB (A[1]) .
Now we identify A[1] = A{0} A{1} with A and B: A{0} to A via the identity, and A{1}
to B via f, i.e.,
(a, 0) a
(a, 1) f(a) .
You can nd a schematic picture in Figure 3.
A
B
f A ( )
A [ ] 1
/~
Figure 3. A simple homotopy colimit
Example 3.6. (Homotopy push-out) We want the homotopy colimit of the diagram
A
g

f
//
B
C
We must take a copy of A, B and C and two copies of A[1] corresponding to f and g respectively,
AB C (A[1])
f
(A[1])
g
,
and identify
- (A{0})
f
to B via f;
9
- (A{1})
f
to A via id;
- (A{0})
g
to A via id;
- (A{1})
g
to C via g;
The result is the space described in Section 1.2.
Example 3.7. (Telescope) We consider now the homotopy colimit of a sequence of maps
A
0
f1
//
A
1
f2
//// . . .
fn
//
A
n
There may be many non-identity composable arrows, but all the relevant ones for the homotopy colimit
construction are the f
i
s alone. So just take a copy A
i
[1] for each i < n and glue A
i
{1} to A
i+1
{0}
via f
i
. The resulting space looks like the following picture.
A
0
A
0
A
1
A
2
A
n-1
A
n
...
Figure 4. Telescope
3.7. Homotopy limit: Explicit construction. The space holim
C
F is constructed by taking the
product of
for each object c
0
C, F(c
0
) ( hom([0], F(c
0
)));
for each non-identity arrow c
0
c
1
in C, hom([1], F(c
1
));
in general, for each chain of n-composable arrows c
0
. . . c
n
in C, none of which is the identity,
hom([n], F(c
n
)).
Then, holim(F) is the subspace of the product of all the spaces above given by elements
{a

: [n] F(c
n
)}
=(c0...cn)N(C)n,i=id
n0
such that the following diagrams commute, for each = (c
0
1
c
1
2
. . .
n
c
n
).
If i < n,
[n 1]
d
i

f
d
i

//
F(c
n
)
id

[n]
f
//
F(c
n
)
and if i = n then
[n 1]
d
i

f
d
i

//
F(c
n1
)
F(n)

[n]
f
//
F(c
n
)
.
Hence, the identications induced by the s
i
s are carried out disregarding the identity morphisms in C, and
the ones induced by the d
i
s are the commutative diagrams above.
Again, we illustrate the abstract denition with some (hopefully) enlightening examples.
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3.8. Homotopy limit: Examples.
Example 3.8. holim

A
f
//
B

This is the subset of ABhom([1], B) of points (a, b, ) such that the following two diagrams commute
[0]
d
0

b
//
B
id

[1]

//
B
[0]
d
1

a
//
A
f

[1]

//
B
That is, (0) = f(a) and (1) = b. Hence the homotopy limit consists on pair of points (a, b) and continuous
maps joining f(a) and b.
Example 3.9. (Homotopy pull-back)
Consider the diagram of spaces
B
f

C
g
//
A
We must take the subspace of the product of A, B, C and two copies of hom([1], A) given by elements
(a, b, c, , ) such that
(0) = f(b)
(1) = (0) = a
(1) = g(c)
We can further simplify to consider 4-tuples (a, b, c, ) such that (0) = f(b), (1/2) = a and (1) = g(c).
Example 3.10. (Cotelescope) The homotopy limit of a sequence of maps
A
0
f1
//
A
1
f2
//// . . .
fn
//
A
n
is given as the subspace of the product of A
0
and A
i
hom([1], A
i
), i 1, of elements (a
0
, {(a
i
,
i
)}
0in
)
such that

i
(0) = f(a
i1
)

i
(1) = a
i
.
Main references. A classical reference is the LNM book by Bouseld and Kan Homotopy limits,
completions and localizations. People tend to say it is quite abstract and not user-friendly for a newcomer.
I have to agree.
I like the notes by Dwyer and Spalinski on Homotopy theories and model categories, in the Handbook
of Algebraic Topology; in Section 10 they discuss homotopy limits and colimits, as derived functors.
Finally, the main source of understanding consists on playing around with the denitions and working
out examples by yourself. Good luck!
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