EN
We consider the compactness of derivations from commutative Banach algebras into their dual modules. We show that if there are no compact derivations from a commutative Banach algebra, A, into its dual module, then there are no compact derivations from A into any symmetric A-bimodule; we also prove analogous results for weakly compact derivations and for bounded derivations of finite rank. We then characterise the compact derivations from the convolution algebra ℓ¹(ℤ₊) to its dual. Finally, we give an example (due to J. F. Feinstein) of a non-compact, bounded derivation from a uniform algebra A into a symmetric A-bimodule.