An introduction to diagrammatic algebra and categorified quantum sl(2)

This expository article explains how planar diagrammatics naturally arise in the study of categorified quantum groups with a focus on the categorification of quantum sl2. We derive the definition of categorified quantum sl2 and highlight some of the new structure that arises in categorified quantum groups. The expert will find a discussion of rescalling isomorphisms for categorified quantum sl2, a proof that cyclotomic quotients of the nilHecke algebra are isomorphic to matrix rings over the cohomology ring of Grassmannians, and an interpretation of `fake bubbles’ using symmetric functions.