F. Labourie [arXiv:1212.5015] characterized the Hitchin components for PSL(n,R) for any n>1 by using the swapping algebra, where the swapping algebra should be understood as a ring equipped with a Poisson bracket. We introduce the rank n swapping algebra, which is the quotient of the swapping algebra by the (n+1)×(n+1) determinant relations. The main results are the well-definedness of the rank n swapping algebra and the "cross-ratio" in its fraction algebra. As a consequence, we use the sub fraction algebra of the rank n swapping algebra generated by these "cross-ratios" to characterize the PSL(n,R) Hitchin component for a fixed n>1. We also show the relation between the rank 2 swapping algebra and the cluster X space.

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Due to the length this work is published in two parts. The second part will appear in Vol 23: 1 of this journal.

We investigate a generalization of Hopf algebra $\mathfrak{sl}_{q}\left( 2\right) $ by weakening the invertibility of the generator $K$, i.e. exchanging its invertibility $KK^{-1}=1$ to the regularity $K\overline{K}K=K$. This leads to a weak Hopf algebra $w\mathfrak{sl}_{q}\left( 2\right) $ and a $J$-weak Hopf algebra $v\mathfrak{sl}_{q}\left( 2\right) $ which are studied in detail. It is shown that the monoids of group-like elements of $w\mathfrak{sl}_{q}\left( 2\right) $ and $v\mathfrak{sl}_{q}\left( 2\right) $ are regular monoids, which supports the general conjucture on the connection betweek weak Hopf algebras and regular monoids. Moreover, from $w\mathfrak{sl}_{q}\left( 2\right) $ a quasi-braided weak Hopf algebra $\overline{U}_{q}^{w}$ is constructed and it is shown that the corresponding quasi-$R$-matrix is regular $R^{w}\hat{R}^{w}R^{w}=R^{w}$.