Global function fields admit a class field theory in the same way as number fields do (Chapter CLASS FIELD THEORY). From a computational point of view the main difference is the use of divisors rather than ideals and the availability in general of analytical methods; see Section Analytic Theory.

Class field theory deals with the abelian extensions of a given field. In the number field case, all abelian extensions can be parameterized using more general class groups, in the case of global function fields, the same will be achieved using the divisor class group and extensions of it.

V2.28, 13 July 2023