Abstract
Three general expressions are presented: the first is the interaction energy between two non‐parallel straight dislocation segments, the second is the interaction energy between two parallel straight segments, and the third is the self‐energy of a straight segment. These can be used to determine the total energy of any dislocation configuration made up of piecewise straight segments. They differ from previous expressions in the literature primarily in that they are given completely in vector notation and in that the self‐energy includes a core traction term. The expressions are limited to the case of a linear, isotropic, infinite continuum. As an example, the formulas are applied to the case of a stacking‐fault tetrahedron.