# In what types of QFTs are the Wilson loops of interest?

I have a very basic question about Wilson lines (WL).

This is what I know about the WL:

1. WL help us to learn about the important properties of gauge fields (treated as connections on the space of quantum fields). We can study parallel transport, holonomies, etc.

2. WL are important in the studies of the (de-)confinement. Whether the loops 'want' to contract or not is in some relation with the binding potential; $\operatorname{e}^V\propto\oint(\text{Wilson Loop})$.

Now, the question:

In which theories do we normally consider such observables as WL? If, suppose, the WL can be considered in any theory containing gauge fields, then why do the standard texts on QED not talk about WL? On the other hand, if the WL are of interest in non-abelian theories only (where gluon-gluon interaction is present), then why are people not talking about WL when, say, considering gauged non-linear sigma models, or gravity, or the electroweak theory?

Many thanks!

Wilson loops play therefore an important role, especially in the field of lattice QCD. One of their useful properties is that every local operator can be written in terms of Wilson loops. $F_{\mu\nu}(x)$ can for example be written as an infinitesimal Wilson loop around the point $x$. This allows people working in lattice QCD to rewrite lagrangians and operators as series of Wilson lines on a lattice.
Besides the normal Maxwell term $\text{Tr}[F_{\mu\nu} F^{\mu\nu}]$ in the action of nonabelian gauge theories (where $F_{\mu\nu} = D_\mu A_\nu - D_\nu A_\mu$), one can also consider a Chern-Simons term in the action of a nonabelian gauge theory (in an odd number of dimensions) $\text{Tr}[\epsilon^{\mu\nu\rho}A_\mu D_{\nu} A_\rho]$.