Beyond odd characteristic: Faster isomorphism testing of 2-groups of Frattini class 2

2026-09-30

AI Summary

This study addresses the longstanding efficiency bottleneck in isomorphism testing for 2-groups of Frattini class 2, where existing methods are constrained to fields of odd characteristic. By integrating combinatorial and algebraic techniques, this work introduces the first non-trivial algorithms for the isometry problem of quadratic form spaces and tuples over $\mathbb{F}_2$, leveraging matrix group methods to overcome prior theoretical limitations. For this predominant class of 2-groups, the proposed approach yields an $N^{o(\log N)}$-time algorithm covering logarithmically almost all such groups. Furthermore, it reduces the running time to $N^{O((\log N)^{1/2})}$, significantly improving upon the best known results and enabling efficient isomorphism determination.

Abstract

The finite group isomorphism problem asks whether two finite groups of order $N$ are isomorphic. The first algorithm, attributed to Tarjan (see Miller, STOC '78), runs in time $N^{\log N + O(1)}$. Despite intensive study, the current best known algorithm has a running time of $N^{(1 / 4 + o(1))\log N}$ (Rosenbaum, '13). $p$-groups of class $2$ have been recognized as the major bottleneck for faster group isomorphism. Recent progress has led to $N^{o(\log N)}$-time algorithms for $p$-groups of class $2$ where $p$ is odd (Sun, STOC '23; Ivanyos--Mendoza--Qiao--Sun--Zhang, FOCS '24; Grochow--Qiao--Stange--Sun, STOC '25). However, the case of $p=2$, which represents the majority of $p$-groups of class 2 assuming a well-known conjecture in group enumeration, remained elusive, with essentially no progress until now. In this paper, we present an algorithm for testing the isomorphism of two 2-groups of Frattini class 2 of order $N$ in time $N^{O((\log N)^{1/2})}$. To our knowledge, this is the first $N^{o(\log N)}$-time isomorphism algorithm for a class of $2$-groups that constitutes logarithmically almost all $2$-groups, in the sense that $\lim_{N \to \infty} \frac{\log(\text{\# 2-groups of Frattini class 2 and order } \leq N)}{\log(\text{\# 2-groups of order} \leq N)} = 1$. As our main tool, we present the first non-trivial algorithms for the quadratic form space/tuple isometry problems over $\mathbb{F}_2$. These algorithms rely on combinations of combinatorial and algebraic ideas, including finite matrix group algorithms developed by Luks (FOCS '92). As far as we know, this is the first time that matrix group algorithms are used to make progress on the worst-case complexity of $p$-group isomorphism.

Problem

• group isomorphism
• 2-groups
• Frattini class 2
• p-group isomorphism

Innovation

• Group isomorphism testing
• 2-groups
• Quadratic form isometry
• Matrix group algorithms
• Frattini class 2