A homotopy category for graphs

Abstract

We show that the category of graphs has the structure of a 2-category with homotopy as the 2-cells. We then develop an explicit description of homotopies for finite graphs, in terms of what we call ‘spider moves.’ We then create a category by modding out by the 2-cells of our 2-category and use the spider moves to show that for finite graphs, this category is a homotopy category in the sense that it satisfies the universal property for localizing homotopy equivalences. We then show that finite stiff graphs form a skeleton of this homotopy category.