This paper deals with the notion of integrability of flows or vector fields on two-dimensional manifolds. We consider the following two key points about first integrals: (1) They must be defined on the whole domain of definition of the flow or vector field, or defined on the complement of some special orbits of the system; (2) How are they computed? We prove that every local flow ϕ on a two-dimensional manifold M always has a continuous first integral on each component of M\Σ where Σ is the set of all separatrices of ϕ. We consider the inverse integrating factor and we show that it is better to work with it instead of working directly with a first integral or an integrating factor for studying the integrability of a given two-dimensional flow or vector field. Finally, we prove the existence and uniqueness of an analytic inverse integrating factor in a neighborhood of a strong focus, of a non-resonant hyperbolic node, and of a Siegel hyperbolic saddle.

Let X(x,y) and Y(x,y) be real analytic functions without constant and linear terms defined in a neighborhood of the origin. Assume that the analytic differential system \dot{x}=y+ X(x,y), \dot{y}=Y(x,y) has a nilpotent center at the origin. The first integrals, formal or analytic, will be real except if we say explicitly the converse. We prove the following. If X= y f(x,y^2) and Y= g(x,y^2), then the systemhas a local analytic first integral of the form H=y^2+F(x,y),where F starts with terms of order higher than two.If the system has a formal first integral, then it hasa formal first integral of the form H=y^2+F(x,y), where Fstarts with terms of order higher than two. In particular, if thesystem has a local analytic first integral defined at the origin,then it has a local analytic first integral of the formH=y^2+F(x,y), where F starts with terms of order higher than two.As an application we characterize the nilpotent centersfor the differential systems \dot{x}=y+P_3(x,y),\dot{y}=Q_3(x,y), which have a local analytic first integral,where P_3 and Q_3 are homogeneous polynomials of degree three.