2 min read 558 words Updated Mar 16, 2026 Created Mar 16, 2026

Library References

Library references are structured API descriptions stored in .dwight/libs/. When you reference a library with %lib-name in a prompt, Dwight injects its API signatures, types, and usage patterns into the AI's context.

How It Works

Add a library — :DwightAddLib prompts for the library name and source (URLs or installed package).
Generation — Dwight fetches documentation or reads type definitions and generates a compact XML reference.
Use in prompts — type %htmx or %zod in any prompt buffer to inject the reference.

:DwightAddLib                " Interactive: name, source (URLs or "source")
:DwightLibs                  " Browse existing library references

Adding Libraries

From Documentation URLs

Provide one or more URLs to the library's documentation. Dwight fetches the pages, extracts the text (max 25K characters), and generates an XML reference with API signatures, types, and usage patterns.

From Installed Packages

Enter source instead of URLs. Dwight searches for type definitions:

Node.js — reads .d.ts files from node_modules/@types/ or the package's own types
Python — reads .pyi stub files from the installed package

The type definitions are sent to the AI to produce a structured reference.

XML Format

Library references use XML for precise, structured LLM consumption:

<library name="htmx" source="https://htmx.org/reference/">
  <description>HTML-first AJAX library</description>
  <api>
    <function name="htmx.ajax" returns="Promise">
      <param name="verb" type="string" />
      <param name="url" type="string" />
      <description>Issue an AJAX request</description>
    </function>
    <class name="htmx.config">
      <property name="historyCacheSize" type="number" />
    </class>
  </api>
  <types>...</types>
  <patterns>...</patterns>
</library>

Legacy .md references are also supported — Dwight reads either format from .dwight/libs/.

Using in Prompts

Reference libraries with the % prefix in any prompt buffer:

Rewrite this form handler using %zod for validation and %htmx for submissions

Multiple libraries can be referenced in a single prompt. Each library's content is injected into the context alongside your code selection and skills.

Browsing Libraries

:DwightLibs

Opens a Telescope picker (or fallback list) of all library references with a preview of each reference's content.

Generating from URLs

:DwightDocsFromURL

Similar to :DwightAddLib but generates a skill file (.dwight/skills/) instead of a library reference. Use this when you want the documentation to influence coding patterns rather than provide API signatures.

Tips

Add references for your key dependencies. If you use a library heavily, a reference file means the AI knows its API without guessing or hallucinating.
Use %lib in the prompt buffer. The % prefix resolves at prompt build time, so the AI sees the full API reference alongside your code.
Prefer XML over markdown for API references. XML gives the AI structured type information. Markdown is better for patterns and conventions (use skills for that).
Regenerate after major version upgrades. API references can go stale — re-run :DwightAddLib when a library's API changes significantly.

Commands

Command	Args	Description
`:DwightAddLib`		Add a library API reference (interactive)
`:DwightLibs`		Browse library references
`:DwightDocsFromURL`		Generate a skill from a documentation URL