---
title: "Cite API pages"
description: "Link to an API operation from your guides by its coordinate, so the link survives URL changes."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://nimbus-docs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cite API pages

A coordinate names an API item independently of its URL, such as an operation's `operationId`. [Routes and coordinates](/api-reference/openapi/routes) lists the coordinate of every OpenAPI item.

## Link from prose by coordinate

Use an `api.ref:` destination in Markdown or MDX under `src/content`:

```md
See how to [retrieve an event](api.ref:api:retrieveEvent).
```

Nimbus resolves the citation during the build:

- `api` identifies the API collection.
- `retrieveEvent` identifies the operation independently of its route.
- A citation without a version targets the API family's default version.
- An unknown coordinate in a known collection fails the authored-content build and may suggest a close match.
- An unknown collection is warned and rewritten to `#`; verify collection names against `/nimbus-api/coordinates.json` so dead citations do not ship.

Pin a historical version only when the prose specifically discusses it:

```md
Review the [v1 operation](api.ref:api@v1:retrieveEvent).
```

Use `/nimbus-api/coordinates.json` to inspect the exact coordinates and resolved URLs published by a built site.

## Cite an API hosted elsewhere

A documentation site can cite a reference published by another Nimbus site without mounting or republishing it:

```ts
apiReferences: [
  {
    collection: "api",
    manifest: "https://api.example.com/nimbus-api/coordinates.json",
    origin: "https://api.example.com",
  },
],
```

`collection` must match the collection key published by the remote manifest. `origin` is the absolute prefix prepended to site-relative manifest paths. Include the deployment base when the remote reference is hosted below one, for example `https://api.example.com/docs`.

The remote collection then uses the same prose syntax: `api.ref:api:retrieveEvent`. Remote references provide citation targets only; they do not add the remote pages to local search or agent outputs.

The manifest lists paths without a trailing slash. With `origin`, citations use them as listed, so a remote site that serves `/api/retrieve-event/` may redirect or 404 the link. Without `origin`, paths take this site's trailing-slash shape, which is right only when both sites match.

Check a citation against the remote site before relying on it.

Nimbus fetches HTTPS manifests during the build. If one is unavailable or malformed, the build warns and its citations link to `#`. For offline builds, commit the manifest and use a project path.

A local manifest that can't be read or parsed fails the build. Malformed entries in a valid manifest are skipped with a warning.

Source: https://nimbus-docs.com/api-reference/citations/index.mdx