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A commutative differential graded algebra has multiplication $ab=(-1{)}^{|a||b|}ba$ and a degree-one differential with $d^2=0$ and $d(ab)=d(a)b+(-1{)}^{|a|}ad(b)$. Over $\mathbb{Q}$, its free algebra on graded generators is polynomial on even-degree generators and exterior on odd-degree generators. Rational rational polynomial differential forms on a space supply such an algebra, modelled up to quasi-isomorphism by a Sullivan minimal model.

A space is formal over $\mathbb{Q}$ if its rational cochain commutative differential graded algebra is joined to $(H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q}),0)$ by quasi-isomorphisms. Equivalently in the usual simply connected Sullivan-model setting, its minimal model has a quasi-isomorphism to its cohomology algebra with zero differential. This says its rational homotopy type can be recovered from the cohomology algebra; zero cup products alone do not imply formality of a topological space without an additional argument.

For a finite wedge sum of spheres of dimensions $n_i\ge 2$, let $L=\mathbb{L}(e_i)$ with $|e_i|=n_i-1$ and zero differential. Its Chevalley–Eilenberg cochains of a graded Lie algebra are a minimal commutative differential graded algebra: one generator dual to each Lie basis word has degree one more than that word, and its differential is dual to the Lie bracket. Its cohomology is $\mathbb{Q}\oplus {⨁}_i\mathbb{Q}{a}_{n_i}$ with all positive products zero. One way to compute this is $U(L)=T(e_i)$; the augmentation module has a length-one free resolution, so the corresponding Ext has only the unit and the dual generating classes.

For the standard $n$-simplex use ${\Omega }_n=\mathbb{Q}[t_0,\dots ,t_n,d{t}_0,\dots ,d{t}_n]/(\sum t_i-1,\sum d{t}_i)$, with $|t_i|=0$, $|d{t}_i|=1$, and $d(t_i)=d{t}_i$. Compatible families of these forms on the simplices of a simplicial model of $X$ form the commutative differential graded algebra $A_{\mathrm{PL}}(X)$. Its cohomology is $H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q})$: polynomial contraction proves the simplex Poincaré lemma, and extension across faces gives the simplicial de Rham comparison. The contravariant functor takes simplicial pushouts to pullbacks of algebras.

A free graded-commutative rational differential graded algebra with decomposable differentials and a quasi-isomorphism to the rational polynomial forms of a space. For simply connected finite-type spaces, $V^i$ is dual to ${\pi }_i(X)\otimes \mathbb{Q}$. A proposed finite model must have its cohomology and representing quasi-isomorphism checked; matching a list of relations alone is insufficient.