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An algebra isomorphism is a bijective linear map preserving multiplication and identity between two algebras over the same field. In classification of a square-zero extension of an algebra, an equivalence must additionally induce the identity on the prescribed quotient and kernel.

A Hochschild cocycle is a cochain $f$ with $\delta f=0$ in the Hochschild cochain complex. For degree two, this is $a\mu (b,c)-\mu (ab,c)+\mu (a,bc)-\mu (a,b)c=0$. It is the condition for associativity of a square-zero extension of an algebra.

For a unital associative algebra, normalized positive-degree cochains vanish whenever an argument is $1$. They form a subcomplex of the Hochschild cochain complex computing the same Hochschild cohomology. The unit-insertion contracting homotopy on degenerate bar terms proves the normalization equivalence. A normalized degree-two Hochschild cocycle defines a unital square-zero extension of an algebra.

Put $A^e=A{\otimes }_k{A}^{\mathrm{op}}$, so an $A$-bimodule is a left $A^e$-module through $(a\otimes b^{\mathrm{op}})m=amb$. The Hochschild cohomology isEquivalently, the Hochschild cochain complex has $C^n(A,M)={\mathrm{Hom}}_k(A^{\otimes n},M)$ and coboundary mapIts cohomology agrees with the displayed Ext functor because the bar resolution of an associative algebra is free over $A^e$ when $k$ is a field. The Hochschild cohomological dimension isThe supremum uses all bimodules, not merely the finitely generated one supplied in the question; an unbounded projective dimension is infinity.

An extension in this classification is a square-zero extension of an algebra: a short exact sequence $0\to M\to E\to A\to 0$, where $E$ and $A$ are unital algebras, $E\to A$ is unital, and $M$ is its two-sided ideal with $M^2=0$ and induced $A$-bimodule structure equal to the prescribed one. An equivalence of extensions is an algebra isomorphism of the middle terms commuting with the maps and inducing the identity on both $A$ and $M$. Arbitrary isomorphisms of middle algebras, or extensions without the square-zero ideal requirement, are not classified by this cohomology group.

Choose a $k$-linear map section $s:A\to E$ with $s(1)=1$. Its multiplication defectis a normalized Hochschild cocycle: $\mu (1,a)=\mu (a,1)=0$, and associativity in $E$ gives $\delta \mu =0$. Changing $s$ to $s+g$, where $g(1)=0$, changes the defect to $\mu +\delta g$, since $M^2=0$.

Conversely, for a normalized Hochschild cocycle $\mu$, put $E_{\mu }=A\oplus M$ as a vector space and defineThe Hochschild cocycle equation is exactly associativity, and $(1,0)$ is the identity. If ${\mu }^{\prime }=\mu +\delta g$, the map $E_{{\mu }^{\prime }}\to E_{\mu }$, $(a,m)\mapsto (a,m+g(a))$, is an equivalence. Conversely, every equivalence has this form after choosing sections. The normalized Hochschild cochain complex computes the same cohomology as the full complex: in the bar resolution of an associative algebra, the degenerate terms containing an inserted identity form a contractible subcomplex. Passing to the normalized bar resolution of an associative algebra, then applying the Hom functor, gives the same cohomology. Thus every class has a normalized representative. We obtain a bijection between $H{H}^2(A,M)$ and equivalence classes of square-zero extensions.

For a formal associative deformation, a completion convention is necessary. The usual star product lives on the formal power series moduleThis is the adic completion of a module applied to the ordinary tensor product, rather than literally the ordinary $A{\otimes }_{k}k[[t]]$ when $A$ is infinite-dimensional. For example, ${\sum }_{n\ge 0}{X}^n{t}^n$ lies in $k[X][[t]]$ but not in the ordinary tensor product, whose coefficient spaces have finite-dimensional span. The two agree when $A$ is finite-dimensional. We interpret the printed notation in this standard completed sense; the infinite iteration below requires that interpretation.

A star product is a $k[[t]]$-bilinear, unital product continuous for the adic topology satisfying associativity of the formIt is a trivial formal deformation if a $k[[t]]$-linear automorphism continuous for the adic topology $T=\mathrm{id}+{\sum }_{r\ge 1}{t}^r{T}_r$, with $T(1)=1$, satisfies $T(a\ast b)=T(a)T(b)$.

If $\mathrm{Dim}(A)\le 1$, then $H{H}^2(A,A)=0$. Suppose changes of coordinates have removed all coefficients below order $r$. The order-$r$ part of associativity then says $\delta {\mu }_r=0$. Hence ${\mu }_r=\delta g_r$ for a $k$-linear map $g_r:A\to A$. Its normalization gives $g_r(1)=0$, since $(\delta g_r)(1,1)=g_r(1)$. Transport the product by $T_r=\mathrm{id}+t^r{g}_r$:The order-$r$ coefficient becomes ${\mu }_r-\delta g_r=0$, and lower coefficients remain zero. Repeating constructs compatible changes of coordinates modulo every $t^N$. They converge in the adic topology to an invertible $T$ fixing $1$, with inverse obtained coefficient by coefficient. The limit product is ordinary multiplication. Therefore every star product is trivial under the completed formal-series convention. In fact, the argument only needs the vanishing of $H{H}^2(A,A)$, not all of Hochschild cohomological dimension at most one.