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A connection on a vector bundle $E\to M$ is an $\mathbb{R}$-linear mapsatisfying $\nabla (fs)=df\otimes s+f\nabla s$. Equivalently its directional version is real-bilinear and satisfiesFor a complex bundle it is complex-linear in the section variable and has the same Leibniz property.

Every smooth vector bundle over an ordinary Hausdorff, second-countable smooth manifold has such a connection. Choose trivializing open sets $U_a$, local frames $e_{a,i}$ and a subordinate locally finite partition of unity ${\rho }_a$. In each frame define the flat local connectionThen set $\nabla s={\sum }_a{\rho }_a{\nabla }^{(a)}(s{|}_{U_a})$, extending each weighted term by zero outside $U_a$. The supports lie inside the corresponding trivializing sets, making the extensions smooth, and local finiteness makes the sum smooth. Since ${\sum }_a{\rho }_a=1$, its Leibniz rule isThis is the construction of a vector bundle connection by a partition of unity.

The difference $A={\nabla }^{\prime }-\nabla$ of two connections is $C^{\infty }(M)$-linear in both its vector-field argument and its section argument. The derivative terms cancel, so $A_{X}s$ depends only on $X_p,s_p$ at each point. Smooth local coefficients therefore identify it withConversely, any such $A$ added to a connection preserves its axioms. Thus connections form an affine space modeled on ${\Omega }^1(M;\mathrm{End}E)$. Choosing a base connection ${\nabla }^0$ gives the noncanonical bijection $A\mapsto {\nabla }^0+A$; there is no distinguished zero connection and hence no canonical vector-space identification. This is the affine space of vector-bundle connections.

For a connection on $TM$, the torsion tensor is the alternating operation $\tau (X,Y)={\nabla }_{X}Y-{\nabla }_{Y}X-[X,Y]$. The connection and bracket Leibniz rules giveAlternation then gives $\tau (X,fY)=f\tau (X,Y)$ as well. Hence it is tensorial, of type one contravariant and two covariant indices:It is equivalently a $TM$-valued two-form, a torsion form.

For the local frame $e_i$ with dual coframe ${\varphi }_j$, defineThe connection is $C^{\infty }$-linear in $X$, so these are smooth differential one-forms. Expansion in the frame gives ${\nabla }_X{e}_i={\sum }_j{\omega }_{ij}(X)e_j$, and uniqueness follows by applying each ${\varphi }_j$. Here the first index is the input frame vector and the second the output coefficient; this fixes the connection one-form convention.

Expand $Y={\sum }_i{\varphi }_i(Y)e_i$ and apply the connection Leibniz rule:Subtract the corresponding expression with $X,Y$ exchanged, and then subtract ${\varphi }_j([X,Y])$. By the exterior derivative of a one-form evaluated on vector fields,Since all pairs of tangent vectors can be tested, equality of the two-forms follows:This is the Cartan first structure equation with input-first indices. Its plus sign is correct with the stated index order and wedge order; the common output-first convention writes the same identity with a minus sign and reversed wedge factors.