Shiro Goto

This text is a direct translation from the Japanese book published in 2011 and includes considerable updates and four new appendices by M. Hashimoto. It provides a concise and readable introduction to modern commutative algebra written by two researchers who have explored the area extensively. The book is also meant to supply the reader with sufficient tools to challenge unsolved questions related to commutative ring theory. Commutative algebra arose from number theory, algebraic geometry, and invariant theory, to describe "ideal numbers," "algebraic functions," and "invariant functions,'' respectively. After the introduction of homological methods, the field acquired independent interest, methods and the status as an area of study in its own right. With the birth of modern commutative algebra, new connections arose with algebraic geometry through projective geometry and singularity theory. Nowadays, commutative algebra is related to many branches of mathematics including those mentioned above as well as to topology, combinatorics, and group theory. The discussion begins with the basic theory...