We construct a noncommutative Cartan calculus on any braided commutative algebra and study its applications in noncommutative geometry. The braided Lie derivative, insertion and de Rham differential are introduced and related via graded braided commutators, also incorporating the braided Schouten-Nijenhuis bracket. The resulting braided Cartan calculus generalizes the Cartan calculus on smooth manifolds and the twisted Cartan calculus. While it is a necessity of derivation based Cartan calculi on noncommutative algebras to employ central bimodules our approach allows to consider bimodules over the full underlying algebra. Furthermore, equivariant covariant derivatives and metrics on braided commutative algebras are discussed. In particular, we prove the existence and uniqueness of an equivariant Levi-Civita covariant derivative for any fixed non-degenerate equivariant metric. Operating in a symmetric braided monoidal category we argue that Drinfeld twist deformation corresponds to gauge equivalences of braided Cartan calculi. The notions of equivariant covariant derivative and metric are compatible with the Drinfeld functor as well. Moreover, we project braided Cartan calculi to submanifold algebras and prove that this process commutes with twist deformation.
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