Let SS be a . A scheme over SS, or SS-scheme, is a scheme XX equipped with a specified

X⟶S,X\longrightarrow S,

called its structure morphism.

Given SS-schemes X→SX\to S and Y→SY\to S, an SS-morphism f:X→Yf:X\to Y is a morphism for which the composite X→Y→SX\to Y\to S equals the specified map X→SX\to S. Schemes over SS, together with their SS-morphisms, form the category customarily denoted Sch/S\mathbf{Sch}/S.

Examples

For example, a ring homomorphism R→AR\to A makes Spec⁡A\operatorname{Spec}A a scheme over Spec⁡R\operatorname{Spec}R. Constructions such as and the keep track of these specified maps to the base.