Quillen's Fundamental Spectral Sequences Revisited

Abstract

Quillen's fundamental spectral sequences relate Andr\'{e}-Quillen homology and cohomology to Tor and Ext functors. The five-term exact sequences arising from these spectral sequences are leveraged to characterize regular and complete intersection local rings. Despite their immense importance in the theory of Andr\'{e}-Quillen homology and cohomology, these spectral sequences are not treated in the literature as they merit. A sketchy argument with gaps for a special case of the first spectral sequence appears in an unpublished manuscript of Quillen, while the second spectral sequence is only stated without proof in another paper of Quillen. A rigorous proof of the spectral sequences requires a delicate investigation of the subtle structures involved. The goal of this expository article is to present a comprehensive and detailed proof of Quillen's fundamental spectral sequences in a readable and well-structured manner.