A graded ring is a RR together with a direct-sum decomposition of abelian groups

R=⨁n∈ZRnR=\bigoplus_{n\in \mathbb Z} R_n

(sometimes n∈Nn\in\mathbb N) such that RnRm⊆Rn+mR_nR_m\subseteq R_{n+m} for all m,nm,n, and typically 1∈R01\in R_0. The decomposition is an internal in the category of abelian groups.

Graded rings organize algebra by “degree” and are the ambient objects for ; a fundamental source is the of a filtration.

Examples
  • The k[x1,…,xn]k[x_1,\dots,x_n] is N\mathbb N-graded by total degree, with RdR_d the homogeneous polynomials of degree dd.
  • If RR has an ideal-adic filtration, the associated graded ring ⨁n≥0In/In+1\bigoplus_{n\ge 0} I^n/I^{n+1} is naturally graded.