Curves over finite fields attaining the Hasse-Weil upper bound (Q4407979)

Suppose \(q\) is an even power of a prime number. A curve \(C\) of genus \(g\) over the finite field \({\mathbb{F}}_q\) is called maximal if it has exactly \(q + 1 + 2g\sqrt{q}\) points rational over \({\mathbb{F}}_q\); that is, if its number of points is equal to the Hasse-Weil upper bound. This article is a survey of recent results on maximal curves, focussing on three problems: the determination of the possible genera of maximal curves over a given finite field, the determination of explicit equations for maximal curves, and the classification of maximal curves of a given genus. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0972.00032].