Definition 4.6.2.1. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor of $\infty $-categories. We say that $F$ is fully faithful if, for every pair of objects $X,Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$, the induced map of morphism spaces $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}( X, Y) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}( F(X), F(Y) )$ is a homotopy equivalence of Kan complexes.
4.6.2 Fully Faithful and Essentially Surjective Functors
Let $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ and $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be categories. Recall that a functor $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ is an equivalence of categories if and only if it satisfies the following pair of conditions:
- $(1)$
The functor $F$ is fully faithful: that is, for every pair of objects $X,Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$, the induced map $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}(X,Y) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}( F(X), F(Y) )$ is bijective.
- $(2)$
The functor $F$ is essentially surjective: that is, for every object $X \in \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$, there exists an object $Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ and an isomorphism $X \simeq F(Y)$ in the category $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$.
Our goal in this section is to give an analogous characterization of equivalences in the setting of $\infty $-categories (Theorem 4.6.2.21). We begin by formulating $\infty $-categorical analogues of conditions $(1)$ and $(2)$.
Example 4.6.2.2. Let $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ be an $\infty $-category and let $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}' \subseteq \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ be a full subcategory (Definition 4.1.2.15). Then the inclusion map $\iota : \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}' \hookrightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ is fully faithful. In fact, for every pair of objects $X,Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'$, the inclusion $\iota $ induces an isomorphism of simplicial sets $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'}(X,Y) \simeq \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}(X,Y)$.
Example 4.6.2.3. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor between ordinary categories. Then $F$ is fully faithful if and only if the induced map $\operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(F): \operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}) \rightarrow \operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(\operatorname{\mathcal{D}})$ is fully faithful (in the sense of Definition 4.6.2.1). Consequently, we can regard Definition 4.6.2.1 as a generalization of the classical notion of fully faithful functor.
Remark 4.6.2.4. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor between $\infty $-categories, so that $F$ induces a functor of homotopy categories $f: \mathrm{h} \mathit{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}} \rightarrow \mathrm{h} \mathit{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}$. If $F$ is fully faithful, then $f$ is also fully faithful (see Remark 4.6.1.12). Beware that the converse is generally false.
Remark 4.6.2.5 (Transitivity). Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ and $G: \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{E}}$ be functors of $\infty $-categories, where $G$ is fully faithful. Then $F$ is fully faithful if and only if $G \circ F$ is fully faithful. In particular, the collection of fully faithful functors is closed under composition.
Remark 4.6.2.6. Suppose we are given a commutative diagram of $\infty $-categories Combining Remark 4.6.1.14 with Corollary 3.4.1.6, we see that the following conditions are equivalent:
The diagram (4.54) induces a fully faithful functor from $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{01}$ to the homotopy fiber product $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{0} \times ^{\mathrm{h}}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}} \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_1$.
For every object $X_{01} \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{01}$ having images $X_0 \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_0$, $X_1 \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_1$, $X \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ and every object $Y_{01} \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{01}$ having images $Y_0 \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_0$, $Y_1 \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_1$, $Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$, the diagram of Kan complexes
is a homotopy pullback square.
In particular, if (4.54) is a categorical pullback diagram, then it satisfies condition $(2)$.
Remark 4.6.2.7. Suppose we are given a categorical pullback diagram of $\infty $-categories If $F'$ is fully faithful, then $F$ is fully faithful (see Remark 4.6.2.6 and Corollary 3.4.1.5).
Proposition 4.6.2.8. Let $U: \operatorname{\mathcal{E}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ be an inner fibraton of $\infty $-categories. Then, for every functor of $\infty $-categories $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}' \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$, the inclusion map is fully faithful.
Proof. For every pair of objects $X,Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{E}}$, the functor $U$ induces a Kan fibration of morphism spaces $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{E}}}(X,Y) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}( U(X), U(Y) )$ (Proposition 4.6.1.21). The desired result now follows from the criterion of Remark 4.6.2.6 (together with Example 3.4.1.3). $\square$
Proposition 4.6.2.9. Suppose we are given a commutative diagram of $\infty $-categories Assume that the functors $q$ and $q'$ are inner fibrations and that the functors $F$ and $\overline{F}$ are fully faithful. Then, for every object $D \in \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$, the induced functor $F_{D}: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{D} \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'_{ \overline{F}(D) }$ is fully faithful.
Proof. Let $X$ and $Y$ be objects of the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{D}$. We then have a cubical diagram of Kan complexes
The front and back faces of this diagram are homotopy pullback squares (Remark 4.6.1.22), the comparison maps
are homotopy equivalences by virtue of our assumptions that $F$ and $\overline{F}$ are fully faithful, and the map of singletons $\{ \operatorname{id}_{D} \} \rightarrow \{ \operatorname{id}_{ \overline{F}(D) } \} $ is an isomorphism. Applying Corollary 3.4.1.12, we conclude that the comparison map $ \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_ D}(X,Y) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'_{\overline{F}(D)} }( F(X), F(Y) )$ is also a homotopy equivalence. $\square$
Proposition 4.6.2.10. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a fully faithful functor of $\infty $-categories. Then $F$ is conservative (Definition 4.4.2.7). That is, if $u: X \rightarrow Y$ is a morphism in $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ for which $F(u)$ is an isomorphism in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$, then $u$ is an isomorphism in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$.
Proof. Let $\overline{v}: F(Y) \rightarrow F(X)$ be a homotopy inverse to $F(u)$. Since $F$ is fully faithful, the natural map $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}(Y, X) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}( F(Y), F(X))$ is a homotopy equivalence. We may therefore assume without loss of generality that $\overline{v} = F(v)$, for some morphism $v: Y \rightarrow X$ in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$. Let $v \circ u$ be a composition of $u$ and $v$ in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$. Since $F(u)$ is homotopy inverse to $F(v)$, the morphism $F( v \circ u)$ is homotopic to $\operatorname{id}_{ F(C) } = F( \operatorname{id}_{C} )$. Since the map $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}(X, X) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}( F(X), F(X))$ is a homotopy equivalence, it follows that $v \circ u$ is homotopic to $\operatorname{id}_{C}$: that is, $v$ is a left homotopy inverse to $u$. A similar argument (with the roles of $u$ and $v$ reversed) shows that $v$ is also a right homotopy inverse to $u$. It follows that $u$ is an isomorphism. $\square$
Corollary 4.6.2.11. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a fully faithful functor of $\infty $-categories. Then the induced map of cores $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq } \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq }$ is also fully faithful.
Proof. Fix objects $X,Y \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq }$. Our assumption that $F$ is fully faithful guarantees that the induced map $\theta : \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}( X, Y) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}( F(X), F(Y) )$ is a homotopy equivalence of Kan complexes. By virtue of Proposition 4.6.2.10, $\theta $ restricts to a homotopy equivalence from the summand of $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}}(X,Y)$ spanned by the isomorphisms from $X$ to $Y$ to the summand of $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}( F(X), F(Y) )$ spanned by the isomorphisms from $F(X)$ to $F(Y)$. Unwinding the definitions, we conclude that $F^{\simeq }$ induces a homotopy equivalence $\operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq }}( X, Y) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq }}( F(X), F(Y) )$. $\square$
Definition 4.6.2.12. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor of $\infty $-categories. The essential image of $F$ is the full subcategory of $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ spanned by those objects $D \in \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ for which there exists an object $C \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ and an isomorphism $F(C) \simeq D$. We say that $F$ is essentially surjective if its essential image is the entire $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$: that is, if the map of sets $\pi _0( \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq } ) \rightarrow \pi _0( \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq } )$ is surjective.
Remark 4.6.2.13. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor of $\infty $-categories, and let $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}' \subseteq \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be the essential image of $F$. Then $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}'$ is a replete full subcategory of $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$, and $F$ can be regarded as an essentially surjective functor from $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ to $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}'$. Moreover, the essential image $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}'$ is uniquely determined by these properties.
Remark 4.6.2.14. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor between $\infty $-categories. Then $F$ is essentially surjective if and only if the induced functor of homotopy categories $f: \mathrm{h} \mathit{\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}} \rightarrow \mathrm{h} \mathit{\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}}$ is essentially surjective (in the sense of classical category theory).
Remark 4.6.2.15. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor between $\infty $-categories. Then $F$ is essentially surjective if and only if the induced map of Kan complexes $F^{\simeq }: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq } \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq }$ is essentially surjective.
Example 4.6.2.16. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor between ordinary categories. Then $F$ is essentially surjective if and only if the induced map $\operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(F): \operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}) \rightarrow \operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(\operatorname{\mathcal{D}})$ is an essentially surjective functor of $\infty $-categories (in the sense of Definition 4.6.2.12).
Example 4.6.2.17. Let $f: X \rightarrow Y$ be a morphism of Kan complexes. Then $f$ is essentially surjective (in the sense of Definition 4.6.2.12) if and only if the induced map $\pi _0(f): \pi _0(X) \rightarrow \pi _0(Y)$ is a surjection.
Remark 4.6.2.18 (Transitivity). Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ and $G: \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{E}}$ be functors of $\infty $-categories. If $F$ and $G$ are essentially surjective, then the composition $G \circ F$ is essentially surjective. Conversely, if $G \circ F$ is essentially surjective, then $G$ is essentially surjective.
Remark 4.6.2.19. Suppose we are given a categorical pullback diagram of $\infty $-categories If $F$ is essentially surjective, then $F'$ is essentially surjective. This follows from Proposition 4.5.2.14 and Corollary 3.5.1.24.
Remark 4.6.2.20. Suppose we are given a commutative diagram of $\infty $-categories satisfying the following conditions:
The functor $q$ is an inner fibration and $q'$ is an isofibration.
The functor $\overline{F}$ is essentially surjective.
For each object $D \in \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$, the induced functor $F_{D}: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{D} \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'_{ \overline{F}(D) }$ is essentially surjective.
Then the functor $F$ is essentially surjective. To prove this, consider an arbitrary object $Z \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'$. Assumption $(b)$ guarantees that there exists an object $D \in \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ and an isomorphism $\overline{u}: \overline{F}(D) \rightarrow q'(Z)$ in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}'$. Assumption $(a)$ guarantees that we can lift $\overline{u}$ to an isomorphism $u: Y \rightarrow Z$ in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'$, where $Y$ belongs to the fiber $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'_{ \overline{F}(D)}$. Applying $(c)$, we can choose an object $X \in \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}_{D}$ and an isomorphism $v: F(X) \rightarrow Y$ in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'_{ \overline{F}(D) }$. It follows that $Z$ is isomorphic to $F(X)$ in the $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}'$.
Theorem 4.6.2.21. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be functor of $\infty $-categories. Then $F$ is an equivalence of $\infty $-categories if and only if it is fully faithful and essentially surjective.
We begin by considering the special case of Theorem 4.6.2.21 where $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ and $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ are Kan complexes.
Lemma 4.6.2.22. Let $f: X \rightarrow Y$ be a morphism of Kan complexes which is fully faithful and essentially surjective. Then $f$ is a homotopy equivalence.
Proof. Since $f$ is essentially surjective, the underlying map of connected components $\pi _0(f): \pi _0(X) \rightarrow \pi _0(Y)$ is surjective. We claim that it is also injective. To prove this, suppose that $x$ and $x'$ are vertices of $X$ such that $f(x)$ and $f(x')$ belong to the same connected component of $Y$. Then the morphism space $\operatorname{Hom}_{Y}( f(x), f(x') )$ is nonempty. Since $f$ is fully faithful, it induces a homotopy equivalence $\operatorname{Hom}_{X}(x,x') \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{Y}(f(x), f(x') )$. It follows that $\operatorname{Hom}_{X}(x,x')$ is nonempty, so that $x$ and $x'$ belong to the same connected component of $X$. This completes the proof that $\pi _0(f)$ is a bijection.
By virtue of Whitehead's theorem (Theorem 3.2.7.1), it will suffice to show that for every vertex $x \in X$ having image $y =f(x) \in Y$ and every integer $n \geq 0$, the induced map $\theta : \pi _{n+1}( X, x) \rightarrow \pi _{n+1}( Y, y)$ is an isomorphism. Using Example 4.6.1.13, we can identify $\theta $ with the natural map $\pi _{n}( \operatorname{Hom}_{X}(x,x), \operatorname{id}_{x} ) \rightarrow \pi _{n}( \operatorname{Hom}_{Y}(y,y), \operatorname{id}_{y} )$, which is bijective by virtue of our assumption that $f$ induces a homotopy equivalence $\operatorname{Hom}_{X}(x,x) \rightarrow \operatorname{Hom}_{Y}(y,y)$. $\square$
Proof of Theorem 4.6.2.21. Assume first that $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ is an equivalence of $\infty $-categories. Then $F$ induces a homotopy equivalence of Kan complexes $F^{\simeq }: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq } \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq }$ (Remark 4.5.1.19). Passing to connected components, we conclude that the induced map $\pi _0( \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq } ) \rightarrow \pi _0( \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq } )$ is bijective. In particular, $F$ is essentially surjective. We have a commutative diagram of Kan complexes
where the horizontal maps are homotopy equivalences (Theorem 4.5.7.1) and the vertical maps are Kan fibrations (Corollary 4.4.5.4). Applying Proposition 3.2.8.1, we conclude that for every vertex $(X,Y) \in \operatorname{Fun}( \operatorname{\partial \Delta }^1, \operatorname{\mathcal{C}})^{\simeq }$, the induced map of fibers
is a homotopy equivalence. It follows that $F$ is fully faithful.
Now suppose that $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ is a functor of $\infty $-categories which is fully faithful and essentially surjective. Using Corollary 4.6.2.11 and Remark 4.6.2.15, we see that the induced map $F^{\simeq }: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}^{\simeq } \rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}^{\simeq }$ is also fully faithful and essentially surjective, and is therefore a homotopy equivalence of Kan complexes (Lemma 4.6.2.22). It follows that the morphism $\theta _0$ in (4.55) is a homotopy equivalence of Kan complexes. Combining our assumption that $F$ is fully faithful with Proposition 3.2.8.1, we conclude that $\theta $ is also a homotopy equivalence. Applying Theorem 4.5.7.1, we conclude that $F$ is an equivalence of $\infty $-categories. $\square$
Corollary 4.6.2.23. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a functor of $\infty $-categories, and let $\operatorname{\mathcal{D}}' \subseteq \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be the essential image of $F$. Then $F$ is fully faithful if and only if it induces an equivalence of $\infty $-categories $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}'$.
Corollary 4.6.2.24. Let $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\rightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ be a fully faithful functor of $\infty $-categories. Then, for every simplicial set $K$, the induced map $\operatorname{Fun}(K, \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}) \xrightarrow {F \circ } \operatorname{Fun}(K, \operatorname{\mathcal{D}})$ is also fully faithful.
Proof. Using Corollary 4.6.2.23, we can replace $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ by its essential image and thereby reduce to the case where $F: \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}\hookrightarrow \operatorname{\mathcal{D}}$ is the inclusion of a full subcategory. In this case, the induced map $\operatorname{Fun}(K, \operatorname{\mathcal{C}}) \xrightarrow {F \circ } \operatorname{Fun}(K,\operatorname{\mathcal{D}})$ is also the inclusion of a full subcategory, and therefore automatically fully faithful (Example 4.6.2.2). $\square$
Corollary 4.6.2.25. Let $f: X \rightarrow Y$ be a morphism of Kan complexes. Then $f$ is fully faithful (when regarded as a functor of $\infty $-categories) if and only if it induces a homotopy equivalence from $X$ to a summand of $Y$.
Proof. Combine Corollary 4.6.2.23 with Exercise 4.4.1.13. $\square$