IntelliSense
The OpenAPI editor suggests the properties and values that are valid at the cursor, shows documentation when you hover over a key, and jumps from a $ref to its target. Completions and hover documentation run while Enable OpenAPI IntelliSense is on in Settings > OpenAPI. The setting is on by default. Go to definition for references inside the same file works with the setting off.
Property completions
Section titled “Property completions”Nouto works out which kind of OpenAPI object the cursor is in, such as an info block, path item, operation, parameter, response, schema, or security scheme, and suggests the properties that object accepts. The list leaves out:
- Properties added in a later OpenAPI version than the one your spec declares. For example, the 3.2 properties
$self,additionalOperations,itemSchema, and the tag fieldssummary,parent, andkindonly appear when the spec declaresopenapi: 3.2.x. - Properties the object already contains.
Selecting a completion also inserts a scaffold for its value. In YAML, an object property inserts an indented block and an array property inserts a first list item, and a property with a fixed set of values offers those values as a choice.
Value completions
Section titled “Value completions”When a property accepts a fixed set of values, such as type, in, or style, Nouto suggests those values. Values follow the same version rule as properties: in: querystring only appears in 3.2 specs.
$ref completions
Section titled “$ref completions”Inside a $ref value, Nouto suggests targets that fit the surrounding object. A $ref in a schema suggests entries from components/schemas, and a $ref in a parameter suggests entries from components/parameters.
- Internal references come from the current file, for example
#/components/schemas/User. - Cross-file references require Resolve external $refs. Nouto suggests
./file.yaml#/...targets from files your spec already references. After you type a file path followed by#, such as./common.yaml#, it suggests the targets inside that file. See External references.
Trigger characters
Section titled “Trigger characters”Completions open automatically after you type one of these characters. Press Ctrl+Space to open them anywhere else.
| Character | Typical context |
|---|---|
: |
After a key, to suggest values |
| Space | After a colon or a list dash |
" or ' |
Inside a quoted string |
- |
At the start of a YAML list item |
/ |
Inside a $ref path |
# |
Inside a $ref, before the JSON Pointer |
In VS Code, starting a new line also opens completions.
Hover documentation
Section titled “Hover documentation”Hover over a property key to see what the property does and which values it accepts. The text depends on the object the key belongs to, so description on an operation and description on a schema show different documentation.
Go to definition
Section titled “Go to definition”Hold Ctrl (Cmd on macOS) and click a $ref value to jump to its target. In VS Code, F12 also works.
- An internal reference such as
#/components/schemas/Usermoves the cursor to the target in the same file. - An external reference such as
./common.yaml#/components/schemas/Addressopens the referenced file and reveals the target. This requires Resolve external $refs. The desktop app opens the file in its own tab, or switches to that tab if the file is already open.