---
title: "Use Reference"
url: "https://docs.caracal.run/reference/"
markdown_url: "https://docs.caracal.run/markdown/reference.md"
description: "Lookup pages for answers, terms, errors, configuration, defaults, compatibility, releases, and wire contracts."
page_type: "landing"
concepts: []
requires: []
---

# Use Reference

Canonical URL: https://docs.caracal.run/reference/
Markdown URL: https://docs.caracal.run/markdown/reference.md
Description: Lookup pages for answers, terms, errors, configuration, defaults, compatibility, releases, and wire contracts.
Page type: landing
Concepts: none
Requires: none

---

Reference pages are for exact names, defaults, limits, compatibility claims, and schema contracts. Use them after you understand the workflow or when validating automation.

## Find Answers

| Need | Page |
| --- | --- |
| Direct answers to common questions | [FAQ](/reference/faq/) |
| Canonical terms | [Glossary](/reference/glossary/) |
| Error response codes | [Error Codes](/reference/errors/) |

## Configure and Run

| Need | Page |
| --- | --- |
| Runtime and service configuration keys | [Configuration Keys](/reference/configuration/) |
| Configuration source order | [Configuration Order](/reference/config-precedence/) |
| Ports, TTLs, limits | [Defaults and Limits](/reference/defaults-and-limits/) |
| Runtime CLI exit behavior | [CLI Exit Codes](/reference/runtime-exit-codes/) |

## Versions and Contracts

| Need | Page |
| --- | --- |
| Supported runtimes and deployment targets | [Compatibility](/reference/compatibility/) |
| Package, image, and release naming | [Release Map](/reference/release-package-runtime-map/) |
| JSON schemas and fixtures | [Wire Contracts](/reference/interoperability-contracts/) |
| Community and Enterprise feature boundary | [Compare Editions](/enterprise/) |

## Source-of-Truth Rule

When Reference conflicts with API, Operations, or SDK pages, treat code and generated schemas as source of truth and update the docs section coherently.

## Next Step

Start with [FAQ](/reference/faq/) for recurring modeling, runtime, troubleshooting, and edition questions.