AbstractThe classification of complex or real finite dimensional Lie algebras which are not semi simple is still in its early stages. For example, the nilpotent Lie algebras are classified only up to dimension 7. Moreover, to recognize a given Lie algebra in the classification list is not so easy. In this work, we propose a different approach to this problem. We determine families for some fixed invariants and the classification follows by a deformation process or a contraction process. We focus on the case of 2- and 3-step nilpotent Lie algebras. We describe in both cases a deformation cohomology for this type of algebras and the algebras which are rigid with respect to this cohomology. Other
k-step nilpotent Lie algebras
