Derived algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics that generalizes algebraic geometry to a situation where commutative rings, which provide a local chart, are replaced by ring spectra in algebraic topology, whose higher homotopy accounts for the non-discreteness (e.g, Tor) of the structure sheaf. Grothendieck's scheme theory allows the structure sheaf to carry nilpotent elements. Derived algebraic geometry can be thought of as an extension of this, and provides a natural setting for cotangent complexes and such in deformation theory (cf. F. Francis).
Introduction
Basic objects of study in the field are derived schemes and derived stacks; they generalize, for instance, differential graded schemes. The oft-cited example is Serre's intersection formula. In the usual formulation, the formula involves Tor functor and thus, unless higher Tor vanish, the scheme-theoretic intersection (i.e., fiber product of immersions) does not yield the correct intersection number. In the derived context, one takes the derived tensor product
The term "derived" comes from derived category. It is classic that many operations in algebraic geometry make sense only in the derived category of say quasi-coherent sheaves, rather than the category of such. In the much same way, one usually talks about the ∞-category of derived schemes, etc, as opposed to ordinary category.