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A categorical cone $L\to E_i$ is a categorical limit precisely when $\mathcal{C}(C,L)\to {\lim }_i\mathcal{C}(C,E_i)$ is a bijection for every object $C$. This is exactly the universal property expressed as a test on hom-sets. Consequently a functor preserves existing categorical limits if every composite with a covariant representable functor does.

If a full subcategory is reflective in a complete category, it is complete. For an ambient limit $L$ of a diagram of reflected objects, the reflection unit $L\to JKL$ is invertible by the hom-set characterization of reflected objects. Thus $KL$ is an internal categorical limit. If the subcategory is replete, $L$ itself belongs to it. The reflector need not preserve arbitrary limits.

Conversely, assume that every hom-set functor $\mathcal{C}(C,F-)$ preserves existing categorical limits. For a categorical limit cone ${\ell }_i:L\to E_i$ in $\mathcal{B}$, a categorical cone $q_i:C\to F{E}_i$ determines an element of ${\lim }_i\mathcal{C}(C,F{E}_i)$. The assumed bijectiongives one and only one such $u$ for every $C$ and every categorical cone. That is the universal property of the image cone itself. Therefore the hom-set tests detect limit preservation:This proof works for all diagram sizes for which the relevant categorical limits and compatible-family sets are under consideration.

Assume $F$ preserves existing categorical limits. For a diagram in a category $E:I\to \mathcal{B}$ with categorical limit cone ${\ell }_i:L\to E_i$, its image $F{\ell }_i$ is a categorical limit cone of $FE$. For any $C\in \mathcal{C}$, a morphism $C\to FL$ is therefore uniquely equivalent to a compatible family of morphisms $C\to F{E}_i$. In the Category of sets, compatible families are exactly the categorical limit of the resulting hom-sets. ThusThe maps are induced by $F{\ell }_i$, so $\mathcal{C}(C,F-)$ preserves the given limit. Applying this to every existing categorical limit proves the implication, with no completeness hypothesis on $\mathcal{B}$.

It is enough to prove the solution-set condition and then apply the general adjoint functor theorem. Fix $D\in \mathcal{D}$ and a morphism $d:D\to UC$. We will factor it through one object in a set depending only on $D$.

First construct a minimal supported subobject. Among the subobjects $m:M\hookrightarrow C$ for which $d=U(m)d_M$ for some $d_M:D\to UM$, include $1_C$ and take their intersection $m_0:C_0\hookrightarrow C$. This is a small intersection, by well-poweredness. It exists by completeness as the categorical limit of the diagram consisting of these monomorphisms into $C$. Its map to $C$ is a monomorphism: two maps with the same composite to $C$ have equal projections to every $M$, since each $m$ is monic, and are then equal by the categorical limit property. One can equivalently construct these intersections by pullbacks in a category and small products in a category, using stability of monomorphisms under pullback in a category.

Choose the factorizations $d_M$. They form a compatible categorical cone into the image diagram under $U$, all with common composite $d$ to $UC$. Preservation of small categorical limits yields $d_0:D\to U{C}_0$ with $U(m_0)d_0=d$. If $n:N\hookrightarrow C_0$ is another subobject through which $d_0$ factors after applying $U$, then $m_{0}n$ is among the original supported subobjects. The intersection property gives $r:C_0\to N$ with $m_{0}nr=m_0$. Since $m_0$ is monic, $nr=1_{C_0}$; since $n$ is monic, also $rn=1_N$. Thus every supported subobject of $C_0$ is invertible.

For each member $Q_i$ of the small cogenerating family, considerThis map is injective. If $U(q)d_0=U(q^{\prime })d_0$, preservation of the equalizer of $q,q^{\prime }$ makes $d_0$ factor through the image of that equalizer. Minimality makes its inclusion an isomorphism, so $q=q^{\prime }$.

Write $R_i=\mathcal{D}(D,U{Q}_i)$; it is a set by local smallness of $\mathcal{D}$. Let $S_i\subseteq R_i$ be the image of ${\theta }_i$. For each $s\in S_i$, there is exactly one corresponding $q_{i,s}:C_0\to Q_i$. These maps define the evaluation embedding into cogenerator productsIt is a monomorphism: if $eg=eh$ and $g\ne h$, cogeneration supplies some $q:C_0\to Q_i$ distinguishing $g,h$; that $q$ is one of the projections of $e$, a contradiction. The product is small. It is important to use the subfamilies $S_i$, since some missing coordinate in $R_i$ need not correspond to a morphism out of $C_0$.

There are only a set of possible families $(S_i\subseteq R_i{)}_{i\in I}$. For each such family form $P_S$, choose a set of representatives $N\hookrightarrow P_S$ of its subobjects, and take all pairs $(N,d_N:D\to UN)$. Local smallness of $\mathcal{D}$ and well-poweredness make their union a set. In the case just constructed, $e$ identifies $C_0$ with one chosen representative $N$. Transporting $d_0$ to $UN$ and composing the inverse identification with $m_0$ gives a factorization of the original $d$ through that pair. Therefore these pairs form a weakly initial set in $(D\downarrow U)$.

The general adjoint functor theorem now supplies a left adjoint to $U$. Conversely, a right adjoint preserves small categorical limits, either by the adjunction hom-set bijections and the hom-set detection of categorical limits, or directly from their universal properties. Hence the stated special theorem is proved in both directions.

Assume the hom-set condition. Its surjectivity at $B^{\prime }=B$ gives $u:KB\to B$ with $u{\rho }_B=1_B$. We show that this splitting is two-sided.

Because $J$ is fully faithful, ${\epsilon }_{KB}$ is invertible. Both triangle identities for an adjunction give, after suppressing $J$,Applying $K$ to $u{\rho }_B=1_B$ yields $Ku{\rho }_{KB}=1_{KB}$. Naturality of the adjunction unit at $u$ gives ${\rho }_{B}u=Ku{\rho }_{KB}$, hence ${\rho }_{B}u=1_{KB}$. Consequently the hom-set condition forces the unit to be invertible:Only surjectivity at $B^{\prime }=B$ was needed for this direction; the given family of bijections certainly supplies it.

Let $J:\mathcal{C}\hookrightarrow \mathcal{B}$ exhibit a reflective subcategory, with reflector $K$, and let $E:I\to \mathcal{C}$ be a small diagram in a category. Completeness of $\mathcal{B}$ gives a categorical limit $L$ of $JE$. For every $B^{\prime }\in \mathcal{B}$, the universal property of this categorical limit and the reflection adjunction giveThe composite is precomposition with ${\rho }_{B^{\prime }}$, so $L$ satisfies the hom-set condition from the preceding part. Its proof of invertibility of ${\rho }_L$ did not require repleteness. Thus $L\cong JKL$ whether or not the chosen full reflective subcategory is replete.

Transport the ambient limit cone along ${\rho }_L^{-1}:JKL\to L$. Its legs lie in the full subcategory, and their ambient universal property, restricted to objects of $\mathcal{C}$, is exactly the internal categorical limit property. Hence every small diagram in the reflective subcategory has a limit:For a replete subcategory, the ambient limit object $L$ itself belongs to $\mathcal{C}$. This argument includes the empty diagram and requires no limit-preservation hypothesis on the reflector.