\chapter{Minimal models} \label{sec:minimal-models} In this section we will discuss the so called minimal models. These cdga's enjoy the property that we can easily prove properties inductively. Moreover it will turn out that weakly equivalent minimal models are actually isomorphic. \begin{definition} A cdga $(A, d)$ is a \Def{Sullivan algebra} if \begin{itemize} \item $A = \Lambda V$ is free as a commutative graded algebra, and \item $V$ has a filtration $$ 0 = V(-1) \subset V(0) \subset V(1) \subset \cdots \subset \bigcup_{k \in \N} V(k) = V, $$ such that $d(V(k)) \subset \Lambda V(k-1)$. \end{itemize} An cdga $(A, d)$ is a \Def{minimal Sullivan algebra} if in addition \begin{itemize} \item $d$ is decomposable, i.e. $\im(d) \subset \Lambda^{\geq 2}V$. \end{itemize} \end{definition} \begin{definition} Let $(A, d)$ be any cdga. A \Def{(minimal) Sullivan model} is a (minimal) Sullivan algebra $(M, d)$ with a weak equivalence: $$ (M, d) \we (A, d). $$ \end{definition} We will often say \Def{minimal model} or \Def{minimal algebra} to mean minimal Sullivan model or minimal Sullivan algebra. In many cases we can take the degree of the elements in $V$ to induce the filtration, as seen in the following lemma. \Lemma{1-reduced-minimal-model}{ Let $(A, d)$ be a cdga which is $1$-reduced, such that $A$ is free as cga and $d$ is decomposable. Then $(A, d)$ is a minimal algebra. } \Proof{ Let $V$ generate $A$. Take $V(n) = \bigoplus_{k=0}^n V^k$ (note that $V^0 = V^1 = 0$). Since $d$ is decomposable we see that for $v \in V^n$: $d(v) = x \cdot y$ for some $x, y \in A$. Assuming $dv$ to be non-zero we can compute the degrees: $$ \deg{x} + \deg{y} = \deg{xy} = \deg{dv} = \deg{v} + 1 = n + 1. $$ As $A$ is $1$-reduced we have $\deg{x}, \deg{y} \geq 2$ and so by the above $\deg{x}, \deg{y} \leq n-1$. Conclude that $d(V(k)) \subset \Lambda(V(n-1))$. } The above definition is the same as in \cite{felix} without assuming connectivity. We find some different definitions of (minimal) Sullivan algebras in the literature. For example we find a definition using well orderings in \cite{hess}. The decomposability of $d$ also admits a different characterization (at least in the connected case). The equivalence of the definitions is expressed in the following two lemmas.\todo{to prove or not to prove} \Lemma{}{ A cdga $(\Lambda V, d)$ is a Sullivan algebra if and only if there exists a well order $J$ such that $V$ is generated by $v_j$ for $j \in J$ and $d v_j \in \Lambda V_{