Abstract Convergent rewriting systems on algebraic structures give methods to solve decision problems, to prove coherence results, and to compute homological invariants. These methods are based on higher-dimensional extensions of the critical branching lemma that proves local confluence from confluence of the critical branchings. The analysis of local confluence of rewriting systems on algebraic structures, such as groups or linear algebras, is complicated because of the underlying algebraic axioms. This article introduces the structure of algebraic polygraph modulo that formalizes the interaction between the rules of an algebraic rewriting system and the inherent algebraic axioms, and we show a critical branching lemma for algebraic polygraphs. We deduce a critical branching lemma for rewriting systems on algebraic models whose axioms are specified by convergent modulo rewriting systems. We illustrate our constructions for string, linear, and group rewriting systems.

The goal of this paper is to prove operator identities using equalities between noncommutative polynomials. In general, a polynomial expression is not valid in terms of operators, since it may not be compatible with domains and codomains of the corresponding operators. Recently, some of the authors introduced a framework based on labelled quivers to rigorously translate polynomial identities to operator identities. In the present paper, we extend and adapt the framework to the context of rewriting and polynomial reduction. We give a sufficient condition on the polynomials used for rewriting to ensure that standard polynomial reduction automatically respects domains and codomains of operators. Finally, we adapt the noncommutative Buchberger procedure to compute additional compatible polynomials for rewriting. In the package OperatorGB, we also provide an implementation of the concepts developed.