In mathematics, a group functor is a group-valued functor on the category of commutative rings. Although it is typically viewed as a generalization of a group scheme, the notion itself involves no scheme theory. Because of this feature, some authors, notably Waterhouse and Milne (who followed Waterhouse), develop the theory of group schemes based on the notion of group functor instead of scheme theory. A formal group is usually defined as a particular kind of a group functor.