# Deep References and Embedding

[Eric Vicenti](/content/:profile/z6MkgisVMELvqnsCo3dYmtVpy8PiqPGMVwfAyBWFn84vebq4/index.html)

30 January 2026, 14:15

Fine-Grained Links

## Fine-Grained Links

In the Hypermedia protocol, every document contains a hierarchal structure of blocks. You may reference:

- A single block
- A block and all of its children
- An exact range of text within a block

This allows you to create references to exact sections of content, paragraphs, or even words. This powerful reference system enables highly-specific citations, which may facilitate learning, and may reduce ambiguity in our online conversations.

## Versioned Links

By including an exact version in your URL, you may link to a version of a document that cannot change.

This enables discussions that allows you to refer to old opinions and knowledge, while ensuring the author will always have the ability to update their content.

## Embeds

Hypermedia documents support "embed" blocks, which allow you to include a section of another document (or a whole document) into yours.

This solves a big logistical problem in the web. Traditional web sites must either link to a destination site, or they must copy the content. A link is fragile, and copied content may be perceived as stealing attribution. And in any case there is a lack of robustness.

Your embeds may reference a whole document, part of a document, a single paragraph, or a single word. And, you may reference exact versions of a document, which ensures the reference doesn't change, as this may break the logic of your content.

Combined with the [Community Archival](/content/features/community-archival/index.html) feature of the protocol, we empower knowledge managers with a very robust system of knowledge preservation and cross-site collaboration.