The Goldberg–Sachs theorem is a result in Einstein's theory of general relativity about vacuum solutions of the Einstein field equations relating the existence of a certain type of congruence with algebraic properties of the Weyl tensor. More precisely, the theorem states that a vacuum solution of the Einstein field equations will admit a shear-free null geodesic congruence if and only if the Weyl tensor is algebraically special. The theorem is often used when searching for algebraically special vacuum solutions.