Geodesic for a linear connection

Definition

Given data

• A connected differential manifold $M$ with tangent bundle denoted by $TM$.
• A linear connection $\nabla$ for $M$.

Definition part

Consider a smooth curve $\gamma :[0,1]\to M$. Let $D/dt$ denote the connection along $\gamma$ induced by $\nabla$, and consider the transport along $\gamma$ for the connection $D/dt$. Then, we say that $\gamma$ is a geodesic for $\nabla$ if, under that transport, the tangent vector $\gamma '(0)$ at $\gamma (0)$ gets transported, at time $t$, to the tangent vector $\gamma '(t)$ at $\gamma (t)$.

Equivalently, we say that $\gamma$ is a geodesic if:

${\frac {D}{dt}}(\gamma '(t))=0\forall t$

(with the derivative interpreted as a suitable one-sided derivative at the endpoints).