  Bimonoidal categories are categorical analogues of rings without additive
inverses. They have been actively studied in category theory, homotopy theory,
and algebraic $K$-theory since around 1970. There is an abundance of new
applications and questions of bimonoidal categories in mathematics and other
sciences. This work provides a unified treatment of bimonoidal and higher
ring-like categories, their connection with algebraic $K$-theory and homotopy
theory, and applications to quantum groups and topological quantum computation.
With ample background material, extensive coverage, detailed presentation of
both well-known and new theorems, and a list of open questions, this work is a
user friendly resource for beginners and experts alike.
