_ modulo I requires only that we solve a set of linear equations, rather than a set of polynomial

equations. This is quite a bit more tractable.

To study the situation more systematically, it is convenient to introduce a bit of terminology. Let A be
a commutative ring and let M be an A-module. A derivation from A into M is a map d : A ! M satisfying
the conditions
d(x + y) = dx + dy d(xy) = xdy + ydx:
The collection of derivations of A into M forms an abelian group, which we will denote by Der(A;M). If A is
_xed, then the functor M 7! Der(A;M) is corepresented by an A-module A, called the A-module of absolute
Kahler di_erentials. One can construct A explicitly as a quotient of the free module generated by symbols
fdxgx2A by the submodule generated by the elements fd(x + y) dx dy; d(xy) x(dy) y(dx)gx;y2A.
Our goal in this section is to introduce an analogue of the construction A 7! A, where we replace
the commutative ring A with an arbitrary E1-ring. More precisely, if A is an E1-ring, we will de_ne an
A-module spectrum LA, which we call the absolute cotangent complex of A. By construction, LA will enjoy
the following universal property: for any A-module M, there is a bijection between homotopy classes of
maps LA ! M with homotopy classes of derivations of A into M.
To make this idea precise, we need a new de_nition of derivation: the de_nition for ordinary commutative
rings given above is given in terms of equations, and does not generalize easily to the 1-categorial setting.
Instead, let us take our cue from the preceding discussion. If _; _0 : A ! B are two ring homomorphisms
between commutative rings A and B which are congruent modulo an ideal I _ B with I2 = 0, then _0 _
is a derivation from A into I. Every derivation from a commutative ring A into an A-module M arises in
this way. To see this, we can take B to be the direct sum A _ M, equipped with the ring structure given
by (a;m)(a0;m0) = (aa0;am0 + a0m). There is a natural inclusion _ : A ! B, and we can identify M with
an ideal of B satisfying M2 = 0, so that Der(A;M) can be identi