Maps f:X->Y, g:Y->X with fg ~ id_Y, gf ~ id_X define homotopy equivalence; X ~ Y; coarser than homeomorphism; preserves homotopy invariants like fundamental group + homology.
Maps f:X->Y, g:Y->X with fg ~ id_Y, gf ~ id_X define homotopy equivalence; X ~ Y; coarser than homeomorphism; preserves homotopy invariants like fundamental group + homology.