We show that a derivator is stable if and only if homotopy finite limits and homotopy finite colimits commute, if and only if homotopy finite limit functors have right adjoints, and if and only if homotopy finite colimit functors have left adjoints.
These characterizations generalize to an abstract notion of stability relative to a class of functors, which includes in particular pointedness, semiadditivity, and ordinary stability. To prove them, we develop the theory of derivators enriched over monoidal left derivators and weighted homotopy limits and colimits therein.
We develop some aspects of the theory of derivators, pointed derivators, and stable derivators. As a main result, we show that the values of a stable derivator can be canonically endowed with the structure of a triangulated category. Moreover, the fu
nctors belonging to the stable derivator can be turned into exact functors with respect to these triangulated structures. Along the way, we give a simplification of the axioms of a pointed derivator and a reformulation of the base change axiom in terms of Grothendieck (op)fibration. Furthermore, we have a new proof that a combinatorial model category has an underlying derivator.
