 Cartan's magic formula

The Lie derivative of a differential form satisfies ${\mathcal{L}}_X=d{\iota }_X+{\iota }_{X}d$. Both sides agree on functions. On a differential 1-form $\eta$, evaluation at a vector field $Y$ gives $X(\eta (Y))-\eta ([X,Y])$ on both sides, by the definition of the exterior derivative and the Lie bracket of vector fields. Both operators are degree-zero derivations of an algebra on the exterior algebra. Agreement on functions and coordinate differential 1-forms therefore proves agreement on every differential form. Since $d^2=0$, the formula also gives ${\mathcal{L}}_{X}d=d{\mathcal{L}}_X$, so the Lie derivative of a differential form commutes with the exterior derivative.