# The Stacks Project

## Tag 01U5

Lemma 28.24.3. Let $f : X \to S$ be a morphism of schemes. The following are equivalent

1. The morphism $f$ is flat.
2. For every affine opens $U \subset X$, $V \subset S$ with $f(U) \subset V$ the ring map $\mathcal{O}_S(V) \to \mathcal{O}_X(U)$ is flat.
3. There exists an open covering $S = \bigcup_{j \in J} V_j$ and open coverings $f^{-1}(V_j) = \bigcup_{i \in I_j} U_i$ such that each of the morphisms $U_i \to V_j$, $j\in J, i\in I_j$ is flat.
4. There exists an affine open covering $S = \bigcup_{j \in J} V_j$ and affine open coverings $f^{-1}(V_j) = \bigcup_{i \in I_j} U_i$ such that $\mathcal{O}_S(V_j) \to \mathcal{O}_X(U_i)$ is flat, for all $j\in J, i\in I_j$.

Moreover, if $f$ is flat then for any open subschemes $U \subset X$, $V \subset S$ with $f(U) \subset V$ the restriction $f|_U : U \to V$ is flat.

Proof. This is a special case of Lemma 28.24.2 above. $\square$

The code snippet corresponding to this tag is a part of the file morphisms.tex and is located in lines 4254–4275 (see updates for more information).

\begin{lemma}
\label{lemma-flat-characterize}
Let $f : X \to S$ be a morphism of schemes.
The following are equivalent
\begin{enumerate}
\item The morphism $f$ is flat.
\item For every affine opens $U \subset X$, $V \subset S$
with $f(U) \subset V$ the ring map
$\mathcal{O}_S(V) \to \mathcal{O}_X(U)$ is flat.
\item There exists an open covering $S = \bigcup_{j \in J} V_j$
and open coverings $f^{-1}(V_j) = \bigcup_{i \in I_j} U_i$ such
that each of the morphisms $U_i \to V_j$, $j\in J, i\in I_j$
is flat.
\item There exists an affine open covering $S = \bigcup_{j \in J} V_j$
and affine open coverings $f^{-1}(V_j) = \bigcup_{i \in I_j} U_i$ such
that $\mathcal{O}_S(V_j) \to \mathcal{O}_X(U_i)$ is flat, for all
$j\in J, i\in I_j$.
\end{enumerate}
Moreover, if $f$ is flat then for
any open subschemes $U \subset X$, $V \subset S$ with $f(U) \subset V$
the restriction $f|_U : U \to V$ is flat.
\end{lemma}

\begin{proof}
This is a special case of Lemma \ref{lemma-flat-module-characterize}
above.
\end{proof}

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