An operation note (note: Operation) attaches to the operation imported (27 passages, no note) from the contract (note: Contract) of its API (note: API) on three rungs, tried in order, the first that matches (note: Occurrence) winning: the operation_id of the frontmatter (note: Frontmatter) against the operation identifier (note: Identifier) of the contract; the method and path pair (47 passages, no note) (or port and the title for a SOAP operation) against the operation's; the title of the note (note: Note) in comparison form (note: Comparison form), spaces (note: Space) and punctuation ignored, against the operation title or its identifier. The note names its API in the api attribute (note: Attribute) or through a markdown link (13 passages, no note); a note that names none is a candidate (note: Candidate) for every API of its source (note: Source) that declares a contract.
A matched note absorbs the operation (4 passages, no note): it keeps its identifier, its markdown (note: Markdown) and its frontmatter, takes the properties the contract declares (method, path, summary, style, port, binding) when it does not set them, lists the contract as a representation (note: Representation) next to its own file, and the exposes link (note: Link) of the API points at it. The imported operation no longer exists as a separate entity (note: Entity). Two notes claiming one operation, or one note matching several operations, attach nothing and are reported by check (note: Check) W-OPERATION-AMBIGUOUS, severity (note: Severity) warning by default, documented with a before and after example in the check pages. The writing guide shows the frontmatter keys (46 passages, no note).