diff --git a/JSONAPI.playground/Pages/OpenAPI Documentation.xcplaygroundpage/Contents.swift b/JSONAPI.playground/Pages/OpenAPI Documentation.xcplaygroundpage/Contents.swift
index a0691d7..412a409 100644
--- a/JSONAPI.playground/Pages/OpenAPI Documentation.xcplaygroundpage/Contents.swift	
+++ b/JSONAPI.playground/Pages/OpenAPI Documentation.xcplaygroundpage/Contents.swift	
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import Foundation
 import JSONAPI
 import JSONAPIOpenAPI
+import Poly
 
 // print Entity Schema
 let encoder = JSONEncoder()
@@ -28,3 +29,18 @@ print("Batch Person Document Schema")
 print("====")
 print(batchPersonSchemaData.map { String(data: $0, encoding: .utf8)! } ?? "Schema Construction Failed")
 print("====")
+
+let tmp: [String: OpenAPIComponents.SchemasDict.RefType] = [
+	"BatchPerson": try! BatchPeopleDocument.openAPINodeWithExample()
+]
+
+let components = OpenAPIComponents(schemas: tmp)
+
+let batchPeopleRef = JSONReference(type: \OpenAPIComponents.schemas, selector: "BatchPerson")
+
+let tmp2 = JSONNode.reference(batchPeopleRef)
+
+print("====")
+print("====")
+//print(String(data: try! encoder.encode(components), encoding: .utf8)!)
+print(String(data: try! encoder.encode(tmp2), encoding: .utf8)!)
diff --git a/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes+Codable.swift b/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes+Codable.swift
index 9322035..91a71cd 100644
--- a/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes+Codable.swift
+++ b/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes+Codable.swift
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ extension JSONNode: Encodable {
 		case oneOf
 		case anyOf
 		case not
+		case reference = "$ref"
 	}
 
 	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
@@ -189,6 +190,172 @@ extension JSONNode: Encodable {
 			var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: SubschemaCodingKeys.self)
 
 			try container.encode(node, forKey: .not)
+
+		case .reference(let reference):
+			var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: SubschemaCodingKeys.self)
+
+			try container.encode(reference, forKey: .reference)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+extension JSONReference: Encodable {
+	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+		var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
+
+		let referenceString: String = {
+			switch self {
+			case .file(let reference):
+				return reference
+			case .node(let reference):
+				return "#/\(Root.refName)/\(reference.refName)/\(reference.selector)"
+			}
+		}()
+
+		try container.encode(referenceString)
+	}
+}
+
+extension RefDict: Encodable {
+	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+		var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
+
+		try container.encode(dict)
+	}
+}
+
+extension OpenAPIResponse.Code: Encodable {
+	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+		var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
+
+		let string: String
+		switch self {
+		case .`default`:
+			string = "default"
+
+		case .status(code: let code):
+			string = String(code)
+		}
+
+		try container.encode(string)
+	}
+}
+
+extension OpenAPIPathItem.PathProperties.Operation: Encodable {
+	private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
+		case tags
+		case summary
+		case description
+		case externalDocs
+		case operationId
+		case parameters
+		case requestBody
+		case responses
+		case callbacks
+		case deprecated
+		case security
+		case servers
+	}
+
+	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+		var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
+
+		if tags != nil {
+			try container.encode(tags, forKey: .tags)
+		}
+
+		if summary != nil {
+			try container.encode(summary, forKey: .summary)
+		}
+
+		if description != nil {
+			try container.encode(description, forKey: .description)
+		}
+
+		try container.encode(operationId, forKey: .operationId)
+
+		try container.encode(parameters, forKey: .parameters)
+
+		try container.encode(responses, forKey: .responses)
+
+		try container.encode(deprecated, forKey: .deprecated)
+	}
+}
+
+extension OpenAPIPathItem.PathProperties: Encodable {
+	private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
+		case summary
+		case description
+		case servers
+		case parameters
+
+		case get
+		case put
+		case post
+		case delete
+		case options
+		case head
+		case patch
+		case trace
+	}
+
+	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+		var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
+
+		if summary != nil {
+			try container.encode(summary, forKey: .summary)
+		}
+
+		if description != nil {
+			try container.encode(description, forKey: .description)
+		}
+
+		try container.encode(parameters, forKey: .parameters)
+
+		if get != nil {
+			try container.encode(get, forKey: .get)
+		}
+
+		if put != nil {
+			try container.encode(put, forKey: .put)
+		}
+
+		if post != nil {
+			try container.encode(post, forKey: .post)
+		}
+
+		if delete != nil {
+			try container.encode(delete, forKey: .delete)
+		}
+
+		if options != nil {
+			try container.encode(options, forKey: .options)
+		}
+
+		if head != nil {
+			try container.encode(head, forKey: .head)
+		}
+
+		if patch != nil {
+			try container.encode(patch, forKey: .patch)
+		}
+
+		if trace != nil {
+			try container.encode(trace, forKey: .trace)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+extension OpenAPIPathItem: Encodable {
+	public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+		var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
+
+		switch self {
+		case .reference(let reference):
+			try container.encode(reference)
+
+		case .operations(let operations):
+			try container.encode(operations)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes.swift b/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes.swift
index 580fdb3..faad090 100644
--- a/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes.swift
+++ b/Sources/JSONAPIOpenAPI/OpenAPI/OpenAPITypes.swift
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 import AnyCodable
 import Foundation
+import Poly
 
 // MARK: Node (i.e. schema) Protocols
 
@@ -268,6 +269,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 	indirect case one(of: [JSONNode])
 	indirect case any(of: [JSONNode])
 	indirect case not(JSONNode)
+	case reference(JSONReference<OpenAPIComponents, JSONNode>)
 
 	public struct Context<Format: OpenAPIFormat>: JSONNodeContext, Equatable {
 		public let format: Format
@@ -470,7 +472,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			return .integer(context.format)
 		case .string(let context, _):
 			return .string(context.format)
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
@@ -484,7 +486,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			 .integer(let contextA as JSONNodeContext, _),
 			 .string(let contextA as JSONNodeContext, _):
 			return contextA.required
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return true
 		}
 	}
@@ -504,7 +506,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			return .integer(context.optionalContext(), contextB)
 		case .string(let context, let contextB):
 			return .string(context.optionalContext(), contextB)
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return self
 		}
 	}
@@ -524,7 +526,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			return .integer(context.requiredContext(), contextB)
 		case .string(let context, let contextB):
 			return .string(context.requiredContext(), contextB)
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return self
 		}
 	}
@@ -544,7 +546,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			return .integer(context.nullableContext(), contextB)
 		case .string(let context, let contextB):
 			return .string(context.nullableContext(), contextB)
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return self
 		}
 	}
@@ -564,7 +566,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			return .integer(context.with(allowedValues: allowedValues), contextB)
 		case .string(let context, let contextB):
 			return .string(context.with(allowedValues: allowedValues), contextB)
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return self
 		}
 	}
@@ -591,7 +593,7 @@ public enum JSONNode: Equatable {
 			return .integer(context.with(example: example, using: encoder), contextB)
 		case .string(let context, let contextB):
 			return .string(context.with(example: example, using: encoder), contextB)
-		case .all, .one, .any, .not:
+		case .all, .one, .any, .not, .reference:
 			return self
 		}
 	}
@@ -607,3 +609,316 @@ public enum OpenAPITypeError: Swift.Error {
 	case invalidNode
 	case unknownNodeType(Any.Type)
 }
+
+/// Anything conforming to RefName knows what to call itself
+/// in the context of JSON References.
+public protocol RefName {
+	static var refName: String { get }
+}
+
+public protocol ReferenceRoot: RefName {}
+
+public protocol ReferenceDict: RefName {
+	associatedtype Value
+}
+
+/// A RefDict knows what to call itself (Name) and where to
+/// look for itself (Root) and it stores a dictionary of
+/// JSONNodes (some of which might be other references).
+public struct RefDict<Root: ReferenceRoot, Name: RefName, RefType: Equatable & Encodable>: ReferenceDict, Equatable {
+	public static var refName: String { return Name.refName }
+
+	public typealias Value = RefType
+	public typealias Key = String
+
+	let dict: [String: RefType]
+
+	public init(_ dict: [String: RefType]) {
+		self.dict = dict
+	}
+
+	public subscript(_ key: String) -> RefType? {
+		return dict[key]
+	}
+}
+
+/// A Reference is the combination of
+/// a path to a reference dictionary
+/// and a selector that the dictionary is keyed off of.
+public enum JSONReference<Root: ReferenceRoot, RefType: Equatable>: Equatable {
+
+	case node(InternalReference)
+	case file(FileReference)
+
+	public typealias FileReference = String
+
+	public struct InternalReference: Equatable {
+		public let path: PartialKeyPath<Root>
+		public let selector: String
+
+		public var refName: String {
+			// we require RD be a RefName in the initializer
+			// so it is safe to force cast here.
+			return (type(of: path).valueType as! RefName.Type).refName
+		}
+
+		public init<RD: RefName & ReferenceDict>(type: KeyPath<Root, RD>,
+										selector: String) where RD.Value == RefType {
+			self.path = type
+			self.selector = selector
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/// An OpenAPI Path Item
+/// This type describes the endpoints a server has
+/// bound to a particular path.
+public enum OpenAPIPathItem: Equatable {
+	case reference(JSONReference<OpenAPIComponents, OpenAPIPathItem>)
+	case operations(PathProperties)
+
+	public struct PathProperties: Equatable {
+		public let summary: String?
+		public let description: String?
+//		public let servers:
+		public let parameters: ParameterArray
+
+		public let get: Operation?
+		public let put: Operation?
+		public let post: Operation?
+		public let delete: Operation?
+		public let options: Operation?
+		public let head: Operation?
+		public let patch: Operation?
+		public let trace: Operation?
+
+		public init(summary: String? = nil,
+					description: String? = nil,
+					parameters: ParameterArray,
+					get: Operation? = nil,
+					put: Operation? = nil,
+					post: Operation? = nil,
+					delete: Operation? = nil,
+					options: Operation? = nil,
+					head: Operation? = nil,
+					patch: Operation? = nil,
+					trace: Operation? = nil) {
+			self.summary = summary
+			self.description = description
+			self.parameters = parameters
+
+			self.get = get
+			self.put = put
+			self.post = post
+			self.delete = delete
+			self.options = options
+			self.head = head
+			self.patch = patch
+			self.trace = trace
+		}
+
+		public typealias ParameterArray = [Either<Parameter, JSONReference<OpenAPIComponents, Parameter>>]
+
+		public struct Parameter: Equatable, Encodable {
+			private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
+				case name
+//				case parameterLocation = "in"
+				case description
+				case deprecated
+			}
+
+			public let name: String
+//			public let parameterLocation: Location
+			public let description: String?
+			public let deprecated: Bool // default is false
+			// TODO: serialization rules
+			/*
+			Serialization Rules
+			*/
+
+			public init(name: String,
+						description: String? = nil,
+						deprecated: Bool = false) {
+				self.name = name
+				self.description = description
+				self.deprecated = deprecated
+			}
+
+//			public enum Location: Encodable {
+//				case query(required: Bool?)
+//				case header(required: Bool?)
+//				case path
+//				case cookie(required: Bool?)
+//			}
+		}
+
+		public struct Operation: Equatable {
+			public let tags: [String]?
+			public let summary: String?
+			public let description: String?
+//			public let externalDocs:
+			public let operationId: String
+			public let parameters: ParameterArray
+//			public let requestBody:
+			public let responses: ResponseMap
+//			public let callbacks:
+			public let deprecated: Bool // default is false
+//			public let security:
+//			public let servers:
+
+			public init(tags: [String]? = nil,
+						summary: String? = nil,
+						description: String? = nil,
+						operationId: String,
+						parameters: ParameterArray,
+						responses: ResponseMap,
+						deprecated: Bool = false) {
+				self.tags = tags
+				self.summary = summary
+				self.description = description
+				self.operationId = operationId
+				self.parameters = parameters
+				self.responses = responses
+				self.deprecated = deprecated
+			}
+
+			public typealias ResponseMap = [OpenAPIResponse.Code: Either<OpenAPIResponse, JSONReference<OpenAPIComponents, OpenAPIResponse>>]
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+public struct OpenAPIResponse: Encodable, Equatable {
+	public let description: String
+//	public let headers:
+	public let content: ContentMap
+//	public let links:
+
+	public init(description: String,
+				content: ContentMap) {
+		self.description = description
+		self.content = content
+	}
+
+	public typealias ContentMap = [ContentType: Content]
+
+	public enum Code: Equatable, Hashable {
+		case `default`
+		case status(code: Int)
+	}
+
+	public enum ContentType: String, Encodable, Equatable, Hashable {
+		case json = "application/json"
+	}
+
+	public struct Content: Encodable, Equatable {
+		public let schema: Either<JSONNode, JSONReference<OpenAPIComponents, JSONNode>>
+//		public let example:
+//		public let examples:
+//		public let encoding:
+
+		public init(schema: Either<JSONNode, JSONReference<OpenAPIComponents, JSONNode>>) {
+			self.schema = schema
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/// What the spec calls the "Components Object".
+/// This is a place to put reusable components to
+/// be referenced from other parts of the spec.
+public struct OpenAPIComponents: Equatable, Encodable, ReferenceRoot {
+	public static var refName: String { return "components" }
+
+	public let schemas: SchemasDict
+//	public let responses:
+	public let parameters: ParametersDict
+//	public let examples:
+//	public let requestBodies:
+//	public let headers:
+//	public let headers:
+//	public let securitySchemas:
+//	public let links:
+//	public let callbacks:
+
+	public init(schemas: [String: SchemasDict.Value], parameters: [String: ParametersDict.Value]) {
+		self.schemas = SchemasDict(schemas)
+		self.parameters = ParametersDict(parameters)
+	}
+
+	public enum SchemasName: RefName {
+		public static var refName: String { return "schemas" }
+	}
+
+	public typealias SchemasDict = RefDict<OpenAPIComponents, SchemasName, JSONNode>
+
+	public enum ParametersName: RefName {
+		public static var refName: String { return "parameters" }
+	}
+
+	public typealias ParametersDict = RefDict<OpenAPIComponents, ParametersName, OpenAPIPathItem.PathProperties.Parameter>
+}
+
+/// The root of an OpenAPI 3.0 document.
+public struct OpenAPISchema: Encodable {
+	private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
+		case openAPIVersion = "openapi"
+		case info
+		case paths
+		case components
+	}
+
+	public let openAPIVersion: Version
+	public let info: Info
+//	public let servers:
+	public let paths: [PathComponents: OpenAPIPathItem]
+	public let components: OpenAPIComponents
+//	public let security:
+//	public let tags:
+//	public let externalDocs:
+
+	public init(openAPIVersion: Version = .v3_0_0,
+				info: Info,
+				paths: [PathComponents: OpenAPIPathItem],
+				components: OpenAPIComponents) {
+		self.openAPIVersion = openAPIVersion
+		self.info = info
+		self.paths = paths
+		self.components = components
+	}
+
+	public enum Version: String, Encodable {
+		case v3_0_0 = "3.0.0"
+	}
+
+	public struct Info: Encodable {
+		public let title: String
+		public let description: String?
+		public let termsOfService: URL?
+//		public let contact:
+//		public let license:
+		public let version: String
+
+		public init(title: String,
+					description: String? = nil,
+					termsOfService: URL? = nil,
+					version: String) {
+			self.title = title
+			self.description = description
+			self.termsOfService = termsOfService
+			self.version = version
+		}
+	}
+
+	public struct PathComponents: Encodable, Equatable, Hashable {
+		public let components: [String]
+
+		public init(_ components: [String]) {
+			self.components = components
+		}
+
+		public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
+			var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
+
+			try container.encode(components.joined(separator: "/"))
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/Tests/JSONAPIOpenAPITests/OpenAPI/OpenAPITests.swift b/Tests/JSONAPIOpenAPITests/OpenAPI/OpenAPITests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62faad8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/JSONAPIOpenAPITests/OpenAPI/OpenAPITests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+//
+//  OpenAPITests.swift
+//  JSONAPIOpenAPITests
+//
+//  Created by Mathew Polzin on 1/25/19.
+//
+
+import XCTest
+import JSONAPI
+import JSONAPIOpenAPI
+
+class OpenAPITests: XCTestCase {
+
+	func test_placeholder() {
+
+		let schemaInfo = OpenAPISchema.Info(title: "Cool API", version: "0.1.0")
+
+		let personResponse = OpenAPIResponse(description: "Successfully created a Person",
+											 content: [
+												.json: .init(schema: .init(JSONReference.node(.init(type: \.schemas, selector: "person"))))
+			])
+
+		let schemaPaths: [OpenAPISchema.PathComponents: OpenAPIPathItem] = [
+			.init(["api","people"]):
+			.operations(
+				.init(parameters: [],
+					  post: OpenAPIPathItem.PathProperties.Operation(
+						summary: "",
+						operationId: "createPerson",
+						parameters: [],
+						responses: [
+							.status(code: 200): .init(personResponse)
+						]
+					)
+				)
+			)
+		]
+
+		let schemaComponents = OpenAPIComponents(schemas: ["person": .reference(.file("person.json"))],
+												 parameters: [:])
+
+		let openAPISchema = OpenAPISchema(info: schemaInfo,
+										  paths: schemaPaths,
+										  components: schemaComponents)
+
+		let encoder = JSONEncoder()
+		encoder.outputFormatting = .prettyPrinted
+
+		print(String(data: try! encoder.encode(openAPISchema), encoding: .utf8)!)
+	}
+
+}