Let G,HG,H be groups. A group isomorphism is a φ ⁣:G→H\varphi\colon G\to H that is bijective as a .

If φ\varphi is an isomorphism, then its φ−1 ⁣:H→G\varphi^{-1}\colon H\to G is also a group homomorphism, so φ\varphi gives a structure-preserving identification between GG and HH. One writes G≅HG\cong H to denote that there exists a group isomorphism between them.

Examples
  • The map Z→2Z\mathbb{Z}\to 2\mathbb{Z} given by n↦2nn\mapsto 2n is a group isomorphism (additive groups).
  • For each n≥1n\ge 1, any cyclic group of order nn is isomorphic to Z/nZ\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}.
  • The map G→GG\to G given by g↦xgx−1g\mapsto xgx^{-1} (for fixed x∈Gx\in G) is an isomorphism (an inner automorphism).