The notion of final -functor (also called a cofinal -functor, but see Rem ) is the vertical categorification of the notion of final functor from category theory to (∞,1)-category-theory:
An (∞,1)-functor is final precisely if precomposition with preserves (∞,1)-colimits: if is final then for any (∞,1)-functor we have
when either of these (∞,1)-colimits exist.
The terminology conventions surrounding the topic of final functors are a bit of a mess. Often
“final map” is used to refer to -functors such that restriction along them preserves -colimiting cocones.
“initial map” is used for functors for which restriction preserves -limiting cones.
A mnemonic rule for this terminology is that final objects are picked out by final functors and likewise for initial objects.
But beware that this convention is not universal, for instance Lurie‘s work is a notable exception to this rule. Also beware of the following:
Beware that the term “cofinal (∞,1)-functor” can mean either a functor for which the precomposition functor preserves colimits (as in Lurie’s Higher Topos Theory) or limits (as in Cisinski’s Higher Categories and Homotopical Algebra).
Given that the two main sources for quasicategories assign opposite meanings to this term, it is best to avoid its usage altogether.
Further adding to the confusion is that some sources, like Borceux‘s Handbook of Categorical Algebra use the term “final functor” for a functor for which the precomposition functor preserves limits, in contrast to the majority of the literature. Such usage, fortunately, is marginal.
In more detail:
Joyal‘s The Theory of Quasi-Categories and its Applications:
colimit-preserving: final;
limit-preserving: initial (page 171);
Cisinski‘s Higher Categories and Homotopical Algebra:
colimit-preserving: final (Definition .4.1.8);
limit-preserving: cofinal (Definition 4.4.13);
Riehl–Verity‘s Elements of ∞-Category Theory:
colimit-preserving: final;
limit-preserving: initial (Definition 2.4.5).
colimit-preserving: cofinal (Definition 4.1.1.1);
limit-preserving: (no terminology introduced);
colimit-preserving: left cofinal;
limit-preserving: right cofinal (page 13);
colimit-preserving: right cofinal (Tag 02N1);
limit-preserving (initial (∞,1)-functors): left cofinal.
See also the warning in the article final functor (here).
(final morphism of simplicial set)
A morphism of simplicial sets is final if for every right fibration the induced morphism of simplicial sets
is a homotopy equivalence.
So in the overcategory a final morphism is an object such that morphisms out of it into any right fibration are the same as morphisms out of the terminal object into that right fibration.
This definition is originally due to Andre Joyal. It appears as HTT, def 4.1.1.1.
This is equivalent to the following definition, in terms of the model structure for right fibrations:
The morphism is final precisely if the terminal morphism in the overcategory is a weak equivalence in the model structure for right fibrations on .
This is HTT, prop. 4.1.2.5.
If is a Kan complex then is final precisely if it is a weak equivalence in the standard model structure on simplicial sets.
This is HTT, cor. 4.1.2.6.
Suppose is a functor between ordinary categories. If the induced morphism is a final (∞,1)-functor, then is a final functor in the sense of ordinary category theory.
However, the converse need not be true. For example, while the inclusion of the parallel pair in is final in the sense of ordinary category theory, it is not a final (∞,1)-functor.
(preservation of undercategories and colimits)
A morphism of simplicial sets is final precisely if for every quasicategory
and equivalently precisely if
… and for every the morphism
of under quasi-categories induced by composition with is an equivalence of (∞,1)-categories.
This is HTT, prop. 4.1.1.8.
The following result is the -categorical analog of what is known as Quillen’s Theorem A.
(recognition theorem for final -functors)
A morphism of simplicial sets with a quasi-category is final precisely if for each object the comma-object is weakly contractible.
More explicitly, the comma object in question here is the pullback
where is the under quasi-category under .
This is due to Andre Joyal. A proof appears as HTT, prop. 4.1.3.1.
The following says that up to equivalence, the cofinal maps of simplicial sets are the right anodyne morphisms
A map of simplicial sets is cofinal precisely if it factors as a right anodyne map followed by a trivial fibration.
This is (Lurie, cor. 4.1.1.12).
The inclusion of a terminal object is final.
By theorem the inclusion of the point is final precisely if for all , the (∞,1)-categorical hom-space is contractible. This is the definition of being terminal.
A (weak) localization is both initial and final.
This appears, for example, as (Cisinski, 7.1.10).
Consider the inclusion of the walking span-category, into the result of adjoining an initial object :
One readily sees that for each object on the right, its comma category over this inclusion has contractible nerve, whence Theorem implies that this inclusion is a final -functor.
As an application of the finality of (1), observe that for an (∞,1)-category and an object, (∞,1)-colimits in the under-(∞,1)-category
are given by the -colimit in itself of the given cone of the original diagram, with tip (by this Prop.): For
a small diagram, we have
(when either -colimit exists).
Now for the walking span diagram on the left of (1), this means that homotopy cofiber products in are computed as -colimits in of diagrams of the shape on the right of (1). But since the inclusion in (1) is final, these are just homotopy cofiber products in .
Explicitly: Given
regarded as a span in , hence with underlying objects
we have:
In particular, if is the initial object in , in which case the cofiber product is just the coproduct
we find that the coproduct in the co-slice category is the co-fiber product under the given tip object in the underlying category
For sSet a simplicial set, write for its category of elements, called here the category of simplices of the simplicial set:
an object of is a morphism of simplicial sets of the form for some (hence an -simplex of ) and a morphism is a commuting diagram
Moreover, write
for the non-full subcategory on the non-degenerate simplices.
When the simplicial set is non-singular, i.e. every face of a non-degenerate simplex is still non-degenerate, then the category is a poset and it coincides with the barycentric subdivision of .
Suppose is a non-singular simplicial set. Then the inclusion
is a cofinal morphism of quasi-categories.
This appears as (Lurie, variant 4.2.3.15).
For every simplicial set there exists a cofinal map
This is (Lurie, prop. 4.2.3.14).
If the simplicial set is singular, it is not in general true that the inclusion is final. For a counter-example, see (Hovey, 9).
For every simplicial set , evaluation at the initial vertex
is both initial and final.
This appears as (Shah, 12.2) and also follows from the fact that this map is a weak localization (Cisinski, 7.3.15).
This can be used to establish a Bousfield-Kan formula for homotopy colimits; see (Shah, 12.3).
basic properties of…
Mark Hovey, Item 9 of: Errata to Model Categories (1999) [pdf, pdf]
Philip S. Hirschhorn, Section 19.6 of Model Categories and Their Localizations, Mathematical Surveys and Monographs 99, AMS (2002) [ISBN:0-8218-3279-4, doi:10.1090/surv/099, pdf]
Daniel Dugger, Section 6 of: A primer on homotopy colimits, (2008) [pdf, pdf, pdf]
Jacob Lurie, Section 4.1 of: Higher Topos Theory, Annals of Mathematics Studies 170, Princeton University Press (2009) [pup:8957, pdf]
Denis-Charles Cisinski, Higher Categories and Homotopical Algebra, Cambridge Studies in Advanced Mathematics 180, Cambridge University Press (2019) [ISBN: 9781108588737, doi:10.1017/9781108588737, pdf]
Jay Shah, Parametrized higher categories and higher algebra, Algebr. Geom. Topol. 23 (2023) 509-644 [arXiv:1809.05892, doi:10.2140/agt.2023.23.509]
Last revised on March 14, 2024 at 04:56:41. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.