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Insert component references

A How component reuse works reference embeds a component's content into a topic. The content stays in sync with the source.

Before you begin

This feature requires the Enterprise capability tier (the Business ). During the beta, every project is on the free Solo tier, so this feature is locked by default: go to Settings ▸ Billing and request Enterprise access to unlock it.

Insert a block-level reference

  1. Open a topic in the editor.

  2. Place your cursor where you want the component.

  3. Type / and select Component from the Editor slash commands.

  4. In the picker dialog, search for the component by name and select it.

  5. The component's content appears as a block with a dashed border and a header bar showing the component name.

Block-level references work best for standalone content like disclaimers, prerequisite lists, or contact blocks. They occupy their own space in the topic layout, separated from surrounding paragraphs.

Use the Components panel

The editor sidebar includes a Components panel, a searchable list of all components in your project. Open it from the sidebar, search by name, and click a component to insert a reference at the cursor position. This is available alongside the slash command method and is useful when you want to browse available components before choosing one.

Insert an inline reference

For smaller fragments that sit within a paragraph:

  1. Place your cursor inside a line of text.

  2. Type / and select Inline Component.

  3. Search and select the component.

  4. The reference appears as a small pill with a puzzle icon and the component name. Hover the pill to preview the component's rendered content without leaving the topic. Cmd/Ctrl+click the pill to open the source component; Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+click to fork it. If the component contains variables, clicking the pill opens its per-instance variable overrides.

Inline references are ideal for short, reusable fragments like product names, version numbers, or standard phrases that appear mid-sentence. If an inline reference points to a multi-block component, only the component's first paragraph is used inline. For longer content blocks, use block-level references instead.

Identify references in the editor

A block-level component reference renders inside a dashed border with a header bar. The header shows a puzzle icon and the component name. To open the source component for editing, Cmd+click (macOS) or Ctrl+click (Windows/Linux) the name. The header bar also includes a Remove action that deletes only this reference, not the source component.

How references update

When you edit a component's source content, every topic containing a reference to that component reflects the change the next time it loads. No manual action is needed: references are How component reuse works.

Component references are read-only in the topic editor. To change the shared content, open the source component directly. This prevents accidental edits that would affect all referencing topics.

Override variables for one reference

If a component contains Use variable tokens in content, the reference's header bar shows a Vars button. Use it to set per-instance variable values that apply only to this reference. The source component and every other reference keep the project's default values. This lets one shared component render slightly different values in different topics without forking it.

Fork a reference

The header bar also includes a Fork action. Forking makes an independent copy of the component and repoints this reference to the copy. The forked instance stops tracking the shared component. It will not receive future edits to the original. Use this when you need a reference to diverge permanently from the shared source.

Forking is the opposite of single-sourcing: once you fork, that location no longer stays in sync. If you only need a different value (not different wording), use a variable override instead.

See also

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