References

Knowledge becomes more useful when its pieces stay connected. A reference is a markdown link to another record in the workspace, such as a document, task, goal, person, or agent. The link keeps working when the target is renamed or moved because it points to the record's stable identity rather than its current title or path.

A reference combines a readable label with a stable target

A reference looks like an ordinary markdown link, but its destination is a typed identifier. A document target uses document:<id>, while tasks, goals, members, agents, teams, and skills use their corresponding target types. Writing surfaces create this syntax for you, so internal ids do not become part of the normal editing experience.

Document references are stored as content links. References to records outside the Library are stored as entity references. This split follows the authorization boundary of each domain while giving readers one consistent link in rendered markdown.

References resolve with current permissions

When Task Machine renders a reference, it looks up the target in the current workspace and shows its current name or path. The saved label is only a fallback. If the target is missing, archived, or not visible to the reader, the link becomes plain text instead of exposing an internal id or the existence of a protected record.

The same permission check applies every time the reference is rendered. Moving a document to a restricted folder therefore updates who can follow the link without requiring every source document to be rewritten.

Backlinks show where knowledge is used

References can be read in both directions. Following one opens its target. Reading it backward produces backlinks: the visible documents and records that point at a given document. Backlinks use the same workspace and path permissions as forward links, so a reader sees only sources they are already allowed to open.

Typing @ in a supported writing surface opens one picker for the people, agents, teams, tasks, goals, documents, and skills available to you. Selecting a result inserts the stable link with its readable label. The exact markdown syntax is covered in the markdown reference.

With memories, documents, and references connected, agents can read shared context and write durable results back into the workspace. The next chapter turns that work into a repeatable process in the workflow builder.