@speclynx/apidom-reference 4.0.2 → 4.0.3

package/src/dereference/strategies/openapi-3-0/visitor.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,760 @@
+import { propEq } from 'ramda';
+import { isUndefined } from 'ramda-adjunct';
+import {
+  isStringElement,
+  isElement,
+  Element,
+  RefElement,
+  ParseResultElement,
+  cloneShallow,
+  cloneDeep,
+} from '@speclynx/apidom-datamodel';
+import { toValue, toYAML } from '@speclynx/apidom-core';
+import { ApiDOMStructuredError } from '@speclynx/apidom-error';
+import { traverse, traverseAsync, find, type Path } from '@speclynx/apidom-traverse';
+import { evaluate, URIFragmentIdentifier } from '@speclynx/apidom-json-pointer';
+import {
+  ReferenceElement,
+  ExampleElement,
+  LinkElement,
+  PathItemElement,
+  isReferenceElement,
+  isOperationElement,
+  isPathItemElement,
+  isReferenceLikeElement,
+  refract,
+  refractReference,
+  refractPathItem,
+  refractOperation,
+} from '@speclynx/apidom-ns-openapi-3-0';
+
+import UnresolvableReferenceError from '../../../errors/UnresolvableReferenceError.ts';
+import MaximumDereferenceDepthError from '../../../errors/MaximumDereferenceDepthError.ts';
+import MaximumResolveDepthError from '../../../errors/MaximumResolveDepthError.ts';
+import * as url from '../../../util/url.ts';
+import parse from '../../../parse/index.ts';
+import Reference from '../../../Reference.ts';
+import ReferenceSet from '../../../ReferenceSet.ts';
+import { AncestorLineage } from '../../util.ts';
+import type { ReferenceOptions } from '../../../options/index.ts';
+
+/**
+ * @public
+ */
+export interface OpenAPI3_0DereferenceVisitorOptions {
+  readonly reference: Reference;
+  readonly options: ReferenceOptions;
+  readonly indirections?: Element[];
+  readonly refractCache?: WeakMap<Element, Element>;
+  readonly ancestors?: AncestorLineage<Element>;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @public
+ */
+class OpenAPI3_0DereferenceVisitor {
+  protected readonly indirections: Element[];
+
+  protected readonly reference: Reference;
+
+  protected readonly options: ReferenceOptions;
+
+  protected readonly refractCache: WeakMap<Element, Element>;
+
+  /**
+   * Tracks element ancestors across dive-deep traversal boundaries.
+   * Used for cycle detection: if a referenced element is found in
+   * the ancestor lineage, a circular reference is detected.
+   */
+  protected readonly ancestors: AncestorLineage<Element>;
+
+  constructor({
+    reference,
+    options,
+    indirections = [],
+    ancestors = new AncestorLineage(),
+    refractCache = new WeakMap(),
+  }: OpenAPI3_0DereferenceVisitorOptions) {
+    this.indirections = indirections;
+    this.reference = reference;
+    this.options = options;
+    this.ancestors = new AncestorLineage(...ancestors);
+    this.refractCache = refractCache;
+  }
+
+  protected toAncestorLineage(path: Path<Element>): [AncestorLineage<Element>, Set<Element>] {
+    const ancestorNodes = path.getAncestorNodes();
+    const directAncestors = new Set<Element>(ancestorNodes.filter(isElement));
+    const ancestorsLineage = new AncestorLineage(...this.ancestors, directAncestors);
+
+    return [ancestorsLineage, directAncestors];
+  }
+
+  protected toBaseURI(uri: string): string {
+    return url.resolve(this.reference.uri, url.sanitize(url.stripHash(uri)));
+  }
+
+  protected async toReference(uri: string): Promise<Reference> {
+    // detect maximum depth of resolution
+    if (this.reference.depth >= this.options.resolve.maxDepth) {
+      throw new MaximumResolveDepthError(
+        `Maximum resolution depth of ${this.options.resolve.maxDepth} has been exceeded by file "${this.reference.uri}"`,
+        { maxDepth: this.options.resolve.maxDepth, uri: this.reference.uri },
+      );
+    }
+
+    const baseURI = this.toBaseURI(uri);
+    const { refSet } = this.reference as { refSet: ReferenceSet };
+
+    // we've already processed this Reference in past
+    if (refSet.has(baseURI)) {
+      return refSet.find(propEq(baseURI, 'uri'))!;
+    }
+
+    const parseResult = await parse(url.unsanitize(baseURI), {
+      ...this.options,
+      parse: { ...this.options.parse, mediaType: 'text/plain' },
+    });
+
+    // register new mutable reference with a refSet
+    //
+    // NOTE(known limitation): the mutable reference is mutated in place during traversal
+    // (via `{ mutable: true }`). When an external document evaluates a JSON pointer back
+    // into this document, it may receive an already-resolved element instead of the original
+    // $ref. That resolved element was produced using the entry document's resolution context
+    // (ancestors, indirections), which may differ from the external document's context.
+    // This can affect cycle detection in rare cross-document circular reference patterns.
+    //
+    // Remediation: evaluate JSON pointers against the immutable (original) parse tree
+    // instead of the mutable working copy. The `immutable://` reference below preserves
+    // the original tree and could be used for pointer evaluation, ensuring every resolution
+    // context always sees raw, unresolved elements and processes them with its own
+    // ancestors/indirections. The trade-off is that elements referenced by multiple
+    // documents would be resolved once per context instead of being reused.
+    const mutableReference = new Reference({
+      uri: baseURI,
+      value: this.options.dereference.immutable ? cloneDeep(parseResult) : parseResult,
+      depth: this.reference.depth + 1,
+    });
+    refSet.add(mutableReference);
+
+    if (this.options.dereference.immutable) {
+      // register new immutable reference with a refSet
+      const immutableReference = new Reference({
+        uri: `immutable://${baseURI}`,
+        value: parseResult,
+        depth: this.reference.depth + 1,
+      });
+      refSet.add(immutableReference);
+    }
+
+    return mutableReference;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Handles an error according to the continueOnError option.
+   *
+   * For new errors: wraps in UnresolvableReferenceError with structured context
+   * (type, uri, location, codeFrame, refFieldName, refFieldValue, trace).
+   * For errors already wrapped by a nested visitor: prepends the current hop to the trace.
+   *
+   * Inner/intermediate visitors always throw to let the trace accumulate.
+   * Only the entry document visitor respects continueOnError (callback/swallow/throw).
+   */
+  protected handleError(
+    message: string,
+    error: Error,
+    referencingElement: Element,
+    refFieldName: string,
+    refFieldValue: string,
+    visitorPath: Path<Element>,
+  ): void {
+    const { continueOnError } = this.options.dereference;
+    const isEntryDocument =
+      url.stripHash(this.reference.refSet?.rootRef?.uri ?? '') === this.reference.uri;
+    const uri = this.reference.uri;
+    const type = referencingElement.element as string;
+    const codeFrame = toYAML(referencingElement);
+
+    // find element location by identity in the document tree.
+    // guarded: this.reference.value may not be a ParseResultElement or may lack a result.
+    // falls back to visitorPath which may produce an incomplete path when
+    // dereferenceApiDOM is called with a fragment (cloneShallow creates a new root identity).
+    let location: string | undefined;
+    const root = (this.reference.value as ParseResultElement).result;
+    if (isElement(root)) {
+      traverse(root, {
+        enter: (p: Path<Element>) => {
+          if (
+            p.node === referencingElement ||
+            this.refractCache.get(p.node) === referencingElement
+          ) {
+            location = p.formatPath();
+            p.stop();
+          }
+        },
+      });
+    }
+    location ??= visitorPath.formatPath();
+
+    const hop = { uri, type, refFieldName, refFieldValue, location, codeFrame };
+
+    // enrich existing error from nested visitor or create new one
+    let unresolvedError: UnresolvableReferenceError;
+    if (error instanceof UnresolvableReferenceError) {
+      // prefix relative locations for entries belonging to the referenced document
+      const refBaseURI = this.toBaseURI(refFieldValue);
+      const fragment = URIFragmentIdentifier.fromURIReference(refFieldValue);
+      if (fragment) {
+        if (refBaseURI === (error as any).uri && (error as any).location) {
+          (error as any).location = fragment + (error as any).location;
+        }
+        for (const h of (error as any).trace) {
+          if (h.uri === refBaseURI && h.location) h.location = fragment + h.location;
+        }
+      }
+      // @ts-ignore
+      error.trace = [hop, ...error.trace];
+      unresolvedError = error;
+    } else {
+      unresolvedError = new UnresolvableReferenceError(message, {
+        cause: error,
+        type,
+        uri,
+        location,
+        codeFrame,
+        refFieldName,
+        refFieldValue,
+        trace: [],
+      });
+    }
+
+    if (!isEntryDocument || continueOnError === false) throw unresolvedError;
+    if (typeof continueOnError === 'function') continueOnError(unresolvedError);
+  }
+
+  public async ReferenceElement(path: Path<Element>) {
+    const referencingElement = path.node as ReferenceElement;
+
+    // skip current referencing element as it's already been access
+    if (this.indirections.includes(referencingElement)) {
+      path.skip();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const retrievalURI = this.toBaseURI(toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string);
+    const isInternalReference = url.stripHash(this.reference.uri) === retrievalURI;
+    const isExternalReference = !isInternalReference;
+
+    // ignore resolving internal Reference Objects
+    if (!this.options.resolve.internal && isInternalReference) {
+      // skip traversing this reference element and all it's child elements
+      path.skip();
+      return;
+    }
+    // ignore resolving external Reference Objects
+    if (!this.options.resolve.external && isExternalReference) {
+      // skip traversing this reference element and all it's child elements
+      path.skip();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const $refBaseURI = url.resolve(retrievalURI, toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string);
+    const indirectionsSize = this.indirections.length;
+
+    try {
+      const reference = await this.toReference(toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string);
+
+      this.indirections.push(referencingElement);
+
+      const jsonPointer = URIFragmentIdentifier.fromURIReference($refBaseURI);
+
+      // possibly non-semantic fragment
+      let referencedElement = evaluate<Element>(
+        (reference.value as ParseResultElement).result as Element,
+        jsonPointer,
+      );
+
+      // applying semantics to a fragment
+      const referencedElementType = referencingElement.meta.get('referenced-element') as string;
+      if (
+        referencedElement.element !== referencedElementType &&
+        !isReferenceElement(referencedElement)
+      ) {
+        if (this.refractCache.has(referencedElement)) {
+          referencedElement = this.refractCache.get(referencedElement)!;
+        } else if (isReferenceLikeElement(referencedElement)) {
+          // handling generic indirect references
+          const sourceElement = referencedElement;
+          referencedElement = refractReference(referencedElement);
+          referencedElement.meta.set('referenced-element', referencedElementType);
+          this.refractCache.set(sourceElement, referencedElement);
+        } else {
+          // handling direct references
+          const sourceElement = referencedElement;
+          referencedElement = refract(referencedElement, { element: referencedElementType });
+          this.refractCache.set(sourceElement, referencedElement);
+        }
+      }
+
+      // detect direct or indirect reference
+      if (referencingElement === referencedElement) {
+        throw new ApiDOMStructuredError('Recursive Reference Object detected', {
+          $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+        });
+      }
+
+      // detect maximum depth of dereferencing
+      if (this.indirections.length > this.options.dereference.maxDepth) {
+        throw new MaximumDereferenceDepthError(
+          `Maximum dereference depth of "${this.options.dereference.maxDepth}" has been exceeded in file "${this.reference.uri}"`,
+          { maxDepth: this.options.dereference.maxDepth, uri: this.reference.uri },
+        );
+      }
+
+      // detect second deep dive into the same fragment and avoid it
+      const [ancestorsLineage, directAncestors] = this.toAncestorLineage(path);
+      if (ancestorsLineage.includes(referencedElement)) {
+        reference.refSet!.circular = true;
+
+        if (this.options.dereference.circular === 'error') {
+          throw new ApiDOMStructuredError('Circular reference detected', {
+            $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+          });
+        } else if (this.options.dereference.circular === 'replace') {
+          const refElement = new RefElement($refBaseURI, {
+            type: referencingElement.element,
+            uri: reference.uri,
+            $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+          });
+          const replacer =
+            this.options.dereference.strategyOpts['openapi-3-0']?.circularReplacer ??
+            this.options.dereference.circularReplacer;
+          const replacement = replacer(refElement);
+
+          path.replaceWith(replacement);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Dive deep into the fragment.
+       *
+       * Cases to consider:
+       *  1. We're crossing document boundary
+       *  2. Fragment is from non-entry document
+       *  3. Fragment is a Reference Object. We need to follow it to get the eventual value
+       *  4. We are dereferencing the fragment lazily/eagerly depending on circular mode
+       */
+      const isNonEntryDocument = url.stripHash(reference.refSet!.rootRef!.uri) !== reference.uri;
+      const shouldDetectCircular = ['error', 'replace'].includes(this.options.dereference.circular);
+      if (
+        (isExternalReference ||
+          isNonEntryDocument ||
+          isReferenceElement(referencedElement) ||
+          shouldDetectCircular) &&
+        !ancestorsLineage.includesCycle(referencedElement)
+      ) {
+        // append referencing reference to ancestors lineage
+        directAncestors.add(referencingElement);
+
+        const visitor = new OpenAPI3_0DereferenceVisitor({
+          reference,
+          indirections: [...this.indirections],
+          options: this.options,
+          refractCache: this.refractCache,
+          ancestors: ancestorsLineage,
+        });
+        referencedElement = await traverseAsync(referencedElement, visitor, { mutable: true });
+
+        // remove referencing reference from ancestors lineage
+        directAncestors.delete(referencingElement);
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Creating a new version of referenced element to avoid modifying the original one.
+       */
+      const mergedElement = cloneShallow(referencedElement);
+      // annotate referenced element with info about original referencing element
+      mergedElement.meta.set('ref-fields', {
+        $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+      });
+      // annotate fragment with info about origin
+      mergedElement.meta.set('ref-origin', reference.uri);
+      mergedElement.meta.set('ref-type', referencingElement.element);
+
+      /**
+       * Transclude referencing element with merged referenced element.
+       */
+      path.replaceWith(mergedElement);
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      const $ref = toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string;
+      this.handleError(
+        `Error while dereferencing Reference Object. Cannot resolve $ref "${$ref}": ${(error as Error).message}`,
+        error as Error,
+        referencingElement,
+        '$ref',
+        $ref,
+        path,
+      );
+    } finally {
+      if (this.indirections.length > indirectionsSize) this.indirections.pop();
+    }
+  }
+
+  public async PathItemElement(path: Path<Element>) {
+    const referencingElement = path.node as PathItemElement;
+
+    // ignore PathItemElement without $ref field
+    if (!isStringElement(referencingElement.$ref)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // skip current referencing element as it's already been access
+    if (this.indirections.includes(referencingElement)) {
+      path.skip();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const retrievalURI = this.toBaseURI(toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string);
+    const isInternalReference = url.stripHash(this.reference.uri) === retrievalURI;
+    const isExternalReference = !isInternalReference;
+
+    // ignore resolving internal Path Item Objects
+    if (!this.options.resolve.internal && isInternalReference) {
+      // skip traversing this Path Item element but traverse all it's child elements
+      return;
+    }
+    // ignore resolving external Path Item Objects
+    if (!this.options.resolve.external && isExternalReference) {
+      // skip traversing this Path Item element but traverse all it's child elements
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const $refBaseURI = url.resolve(retrievalURI, toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string);
+    const indirectionsSize = this.indirections.length;
+
+    try {
+      const reference = await this.toReference(toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string);
+
+      this.indirections.push(referencingElement);
+
+      const jsonPointer = URIFragmentIdentifier.fromURIReference($refBaseURI);
+
+      // possibly non-semantic referenced element
+      let referencedElement = evaluate<Element>(
+        (reference.value as ParseResultElement).result as Element,
+        jsonPointer,
+      );
+
+      // applying semantics to a referenced element
+      if (!isPathItemElement(referencedElement)) {
+        if (this.refractCache.has(referencedElement)) {
+          referencedElement = this.refractCache.get(referencedElement)!;
+        } else {
+          const sourceElement = referencedElement;
+          referencedElement = refractPathItem(referencedElement);
+          this.refractCache.set(sourceElement, referencedElement);
+        }
+      }
+
+      // detect direct or indirect reference
+      if (referencingElement === referencedElement) {
+        throw new ApiDOMStructuredError('Recursive Path Item Object reference detected', {
+          $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+        });
+      }
+
+      // detect maximum depth of dereferencing
+      if (this.indirections.length > this.options.dereference.maxDepth) {
+        throw new MaximumDereferenceDepthError(
+          `Maximum dereference depth of "${this.options.dereference.maxDepth}" has been exceeded in file "${this.reference.uri}"`,
+          { maxDepth: this.options.dereference.maxDepth, uri: this.reference.uri },
+        );
+      }
+
+      // detect cross-boundary cycle
+      const [ancestorsLineage, directAncestors] = this.toAncestorLineage(path);
+      if (ancestorsLineage.includes(referencedElement)) {
+        reference.refSet!.circular = true;
+
+        if (this.options.dereference.circular === 'error') {
+          throw new ApiDOMStructuredError('Circular reference detected', {
+            $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+          });
+        } else if (this.options.dereference.circular === 'replace') {
+          const refElement = new RefElement($refBaseURI, {
+            type: referencingElement.element,
+            uri: reference.uri,
+            $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+          });
+          const replacer =
+            this.options.dereference.strategyOpts['openapi-3-0']?.circularReplacer ??
+            this.options.dereference.circularReplacer;
+          const replacement = replacer(refElement);
+
+          path.replaceWith(replacement);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Dive deep into the fragment.
+       *
+       * Cases to consider:
+       *  1. We're crossing document boundary
+       *  2. Fragment is from non-entry document
+       *  3. Fragment is a Path Item Object with $ref field. We need to follow it to get the eventual value
+       *  4. We are dereferencing the fragment lazily/eagerly depending on circular mode
+       */
+      const isNonEntryDocument = url.stripHash(reference.refSet!.rootRef!.uri) !== reference.uri;
+      const shouldDetectCircular = ['error', 'replace'].includes(this.options.dereference.circular);
+      if (
+        (isExternalReference ||
+          isNonEntryDocument ||
+          (isPathItemElement(referencedElement) && isStringElement(referencedElement.$ref)) ||
+          shouldDetectCircular) &&
+        !ancestorsLineage.includesCycle(referencedElement)
+      ) {
+        // append referencing reference to ancestors lineage
+        directAncestors.add(referencingElement);
+
+        const visitor = new OpenAPI3_0DereferenceVisitor({
+          reference,
+          indirections: [...this.indirections],
+          options: this.options,
+          refractCache: this.refractCache,
+          ancestors: ancestorsLineage,
+        });
+        referencedElement = await traverseAsync(referencedElement, visitor, { mutable: true });
+
+        // remove referencing reference from ancestors lineage
+        directAncestors.delete(referencingElement);
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Creating a new version of Path Item by merging fields from referenced Path Item with referencing one.
+       */
+      if (isPathItemElement(referencedElement)) {
+        const mergedElement = cloneShallow<PathItemElement>(referencedElement);
+        // existing keywords from referencing PathItemElement overrides ones from referenced element
+        referencingElement.forEach((value: Element, keyElement: Element, item: Element) => {
+          mergedElement.remove(toValue(keyElement) as string);
+          (mergedElement.content as Element[]).push(item);
+        });
+        mergedElement.remove('$ref');
+
+        // annotate referenced element with info about original referencing element
+        mergedElement.meta.set('ref-fields', {
+          $ref: toValue(referencingElement.$ref),
+        });
+        // annotate referenced element with info about origin and type
+        mergedElement.meta.set('ref-origin', reference.uri);
+        mergedElement.meta.set('ref-type', referencingElement.element);
+
+        referencedElement = mergedElement;
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Transclude referencing element with merged referenced element.
+       */
+      path.replaceWith(referencedElement);
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      const $ref = toValue(referencingElement.$ref) as string;
+      this.handleError(
+        `Error while dereferencing Path Item Object. Cannot resolve $ref "${$ref}": ${(error as Error).message}`,
+        error as Error,
+        referencingElement,
+        '$ref',
+        $ref,
+        path,
+      );
+    } finally {
+      if (this.indirections.length > indirectionsSize) this.indirections.pop();
+    }
+  }
+
+  public async LinkElement(path: Path<Element>) {
+    const linkElement = path.node as LinkElement;
+
+    // ignore LinkElement without operationRef or operationId field
+    if (!isStringElement(linkElement.operationRef) && !isStringElement(linkElement.operationId)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // operationRef and operationId fields are mutually exclusive
+    if (isStringElement(linkElement.operationRef) && isStringElement(linkElement.operationId)) {
+      throw new ApiDOMStructuredError(
+        'LinkElement operationRef and operationId fields are mutually exclusive',
+        {
+          operationRef: toValue(linkElement.operationRef),
+          operationId: toValue(linkElement.operationId),
+        },
+      );
+    }
+
+    try {
+      let operationElement: Element | undefined;
+
+      if (isStringElement(linkElement.operationRef)) {
+        // possibly non-semantic referenced element
+        const jsonPointer = URIFragmentIdentifier.fromURIReference(
+          toValue(linkElement.operationRef) as string,
+        );
+        const retrievalURI = this.toBaseURI(toValue(linkElement.operationRef) as string);
+        const isInternalReference = url.stripHash(this.reference.uri) === retrievalURI;
+        const isExternalReference = !isInternalReference;
+
+        // ignore resolving internal Operation Object reference
+        if (!this.options.resolve.internal && isInternalReference) {
+          // skip traversing this Link element but traverse all it's child elements
+          return;
+        }
+        // ignore resolving external Operation Object reference
+        if (!this.options.resolve.external && isExternalReference) {
+          // skip traversing this Link element but traverse all it's child elements
+          return;
+        }
+
+        const reference = await this.toReference(toValue(linkElement.operationRef) as string);
+
+        operationElement = evaluate<Element>(
+          (reference.value as ParseResultElement).result as Element,
+          jsonPointer,
+        );
+        // applying semantics to a referenced element
+        if (!isOperationElement(operationElement)) {
+          if (this.refractCache.has(operationElement)) {
+            operationElement = this.refractCache.get(operationElement)!;
+          } else {
+            const sourceElement = operationElement;
+            operationElement = refractOperation(operationElement);
+            this.refractCache.set(sourceElement, operationElement);
+          }
+        }
+        // create shallow clone to be able to annotate with metadata
+        operationElement = cloneShallow(operationElement);
+        // annotate operation element with info about origin
+        operationElement.meta.set('ref-origin', reference.uri);
+        operationElement.meta.set('ref-type', linkElement.element);
+
+        const linkElementCopy = cloneShallow(linkElement);
+        linkElementCopy.operationRef?.meta.set('operation', operationElement);
+
+        /**
+         * Transclude Link Object containing Operation Object in its meta.
+         */
+        path.replaceWith(linkElementCopy);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (isStringElement(linkElement.operationId)) {
+        const operationId = toValue(linkElement.operationId) as string;
+        const reference = await this.toReference(url.unsanitize(this.reference.uri));
+        const operationPath = find(
+          (reference.value as ParseResultElement).result as Element,
+          (path) =>
+            isOperationElement(path.node) &&
+            isElement(path.node.operationId) &&
+            path.node.operationId.equals(operationId),
+        );
+        operationElement = operationPath?.node;
+        // OperationElement not found by its operationId
+        if (isUndefined(operationElement)) {
+          throw new ApiDOMStructuredError(
+            `OperationElement(operationId=${operationId}) not found`,
+            { operationId },
+          );
+        }
+
+        const linkElementCopy = cloneShallow(linkElement);
+        linkElementCopy.operationId?.meta.set('operation', operationElement);
+
+        /**
+         * Transclude Link Object containing Operation Object in its meta.
+         */
+        path.replaceWith(linkElementCopy);
+      }
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      const refFieldName = isStringElement(linkElement.operationRef)
+        ? 'operationRef'
+        : 'operationId';
+      const refFieldValue = isStringElement(linkElement.operationRef)
+        ? (toValue(linkElement.operationRef) as string)
+        : (toValue(linkElement.operationId) as string);
+      this.handleError(
+        `Error while dereferencing Link Object. Cannot resolve ${refFieldName} "${refFieldValue}": ${(error as Error).message}`,
+        error as Error,
+        linkElement,
+        refFieldName,
+        refFieldValue,
+        path,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  public async ExampleElement(path: Path<Element>) {
+    const exampleElement = path.node as ExampleElement;
+
+    // ignore ExampleElement without externalValue field
+    if (!isStringElement(exampleElement.externalValue)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // value and externalValue fields are mutually exclusive
+    if (exampleElement.hasKey('value') && isStringElement(exampleElement.externalValue)) {
+      throw new ApiDOMStructuredError(
+        'ExampleElement value and externalValue fields are mutually exclusive',
+        {
+          value: toValue(exampleElement.value),
+          externalValue: toValue(exampleElement.externalValue),
+        },
+      );
+    }
+
+    const retrievalURI = this.toBaseURI(toValue(exampleElement.externalValue) as string);
+    const isInternalReference = url.stripHash(this.reference.uri) === retrievalURI;
+    const isExternalReference = !isInternalReference;
+
+    // ignore resolving external Example Objects
+    if (!this.options.resolve.internal && isInternalReference) {
+      // skip traversing this Example element but traverse all it's child elements
+      return;
+    }
+    // ignore resolving external Example Objects
+    if (!this.options.resolve.external && isExternalReference) {
+      // skip traversing this Example element but traverse all it's child elements
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const reference = await this.toReference(toValue(exampleElement.externalValue) as string);
+
+      // shallow clone of the referenced element
+      const valueElement = cloneShallow((reference.value as ParseResultElement).result as Element);
+      // annotate operation element with info about origin
+      valueElement.meta.set('ref-origin', reference.uri);
+      valueElement.meta.set('ref-type', exampleElement.element);
+
+      const exampleElementCopy = cloneShallow(exampleElement);
+      exampleElementCopy.value = valueElement;
+
+      /**
+       * Transclude Example Object containing external value.
+       */
+      path.replaceWith(exampleElementCopy);
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      const externalValue = toValue(exampleElement.externalValue) as string;
+      this.handleError(
+        `Error while dereferencing Example Object. Cannot resolve externalValue "${externalValue}": ${(error as Error).message}`,
+        error as Error,
+        exampleElement,
+        'externalValue',
+        externalValue,
+        path,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default OpenAPI3_0DereferenceVisitor;