Bent functions from a finite abelian group into a finite abelian group

Abstract We introduce the notions of an absolutely non-homomorphic function, a minimal function (farthest from homomorphisms) and a bent function, and prove that the class of bent functions coincides with the class of absolutely non-homomorphic functions, a function is uniquely determined by the distances to homomorphisms with shifts, and that in the primary case the bent functions are absolutely minimal.