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Since the hom-sets in these categories are either empty or singleton, an adjunction $f⊣g$ is precisely the conditionThe hom-set bijections are then the unique possible ones, and naturality is automatic. This is a Galois connection between the two posets.

Equivalently, the monotone functions satisfy the unit and counit inequalities $x\le gf(x)$ and $fg(y)\le y$. The equivalence implies these by taking $y=f(x)$ and $x=g(y)$. Conversely, if the inequalities hold, $f(x)\le y$ implies $x\le gf(x)\le g(y)$, while $x\le g(y)$ implies $f(x)\le fg(y)\le y$.

A poset becomes a category whose objects are its elements and whose hom-set $X(x,y)$ is a singleton if $x\le y$ and empty otherwise. Reflexivity supplies identity arrows and transitivity supplies composition; all possible composites are unique, so the category axioms hold. Antisymmetry says that isomorphic objects are equal. A functor between such categories is exactly an order-preserving function: an inequality must be sent to an inequality, and there is no further choice of arrow map.

The Freyd general adjoint functor theorem is as follows. Let $G:\mathcal{D}\to \mathcal{C}$, with $\mathcal{D}$ a complete category which is locally small. Then $G$ has a left adjoint if and only if it preserves all small categorical limits and satisfies the solution-set condition: for each $c\in \mathcal{C}$, there is a set-indexed familysuch that every $u:c\to Gd$ can be written $u=G(h)u_i$ for some $i$ and some $h:d_i\to d$. The target category need not be complete. We prove all the existence steps.

First establish the initial-object lemma for complete categories with a weakly initial set. Let $\mathcal{E}$ be locally small and complete, with a weakly initial set $\{w_i\}$, meaning every object receives a map from at least one $w_i$. Its categorical product $w={\prod }_i{w}_i$ is weakly initial: compose a categorical product projection with the map from the appropriate $w_i$. Local smallness makes $\mathcal{E}(w,w)$ a set. Let $e:v\to w$ be the simultaneous equaliser of every endomorphism of $w$ and the identity. Explicitly it is the equaliser of the two arrowswith components $k$ and $1_w$. Thus $ke=e$ for every endomorphism $k$, and $e$ is monic.

Every object $x$ receives a morphism from $v$, by composing $e$ with a map $w\to x$. To prove uniqueness, take parallel maps $a,b:v\to x$ and their equaliser $m:y\to v$. Weak initiality of $w$ gives $t:w\to y$. The composite $emt$ is an endomorphism of $w$, so $(emt)e=e$. Cancelling the monomorphism $e$ gives $mte=1_v$. Hence $m$ is both monic and a split epimorphism, and is therefore invertible. Since $am=bm$, this forces $a=b$. We have proved $v$ is initial, without using a class-sized categorical product or equaliser.

For sufficiency in the theorem, fix $c$ and consider the comma category $(c\downarrow G)$. Its objects are pairs $(d,u:c\to Gd)$; a morphism $h:(d,u)\to (d^{\prime },u^{\prime })$ satisfies $G(h)u=u^{\prime }$. This category is locally small because each hom-set is a subset of $\mathcal{D}(d,d^{\prime })$. It is complete: for a small diagram of such pairs, take the underlying categorical limit $d$ in $\mathcal{D}$. The arrows from $c$ form a cone to its image under $G$, and preservation of the categorical limit gives a unique $u:c\to Gd$ inducing them. The same universal property gives all mediators in the comma category. The solution-set family is a weakly initial set in this comma category, so the lemma supplies an initial pairFor $f:c\to c^{\prime }$, initiality defines a unique $Ff:Fc\to F{c}^{\prime }$ satisfying $G(Ff){\eta }_c={\eta }_{c^{\prime }}f$. Uniqueness proves the identity and composition laws, making $F$ a functor. Initiality also gives bijectionsThe definition of $Ff$ proves naturality in $c$, and postcomposition proves naturality in $d$. These bijections are the required adjunction $F⊣G$.

For necessity, if $F⊣G$, the single arrow ${\eta }_c:c\to GFc$ is a solution set: the transpose of any $u:c\to Gd$ gives its factorization through ${\eta }_c$. If $d$ is a limiting cone vertex of a small diagram $D_j$ in $\mathcal{D}$, then, naturally in $c$,These are the canonical cone-factorization bijections, so $Gd$ with its image projections is a categorical limit of $G{D}_j$. Thus $G$ preserves all small categorical limits, completing both directions of the theorem.

The general adjoint functor theorem says that, for a functor $U:\mathcal{A}\to \mathcal{B}$ between locally small categories, with $\mathcal{A}$ a complete category, $U$ has a left adjoint if and only if it preserves small limits and satisfies the solution-set condition. The solution-set condition means that for each $B\in \mathcal{B}$ there is a set of arrows $b_i:B\to U{A}_i$ such that every $b:B\to UA$ factors as $U(a)b_i$ for some $i$ and some $a:A_i\to A$.

Here is the smallness argument behind the theorem. A complete category that is locally small and has a weakly initial set $(W_i)$ has an initial object. Form the product in a category $W={\prod }_i{W}_i$. It is weakly initial, since a projection $W\to W_i$ followed by a chosen arrow $W_i\to X$ gives an arrow $W\to X$. Take the simultaneous equalizer $e:E\to W$ of all endomorphisms of $W$ with $1_W$; the family is a set by local smallness. The object $E$ is also weakly initial. For parallel arrows $a,b:E\rightrightarrows X$, take their equalizer $j:Y\to E$ and a map $t:W\to Y$. Since $ejt$ is an endomorphism of $W$, the defining property of $e$ gives $ejte=e$. Cancellation of the monomorphism $e$ gives $jte=1_E$. Thus the monomorphism $j$ has a right inverse and is an isomorphism, so $a=b$. Existence of arrows out of $E$ was already established, proving the initial-object lemma for complete categories with a weakly initial set.

If $U$ preserves small categorical limits, the comma category $(B\downarrow U)$ is complete: take the limiting object in $\mathcal{A}$, and use preservation to assemble the arrows from $B$. It is locally small, and the solution-set condition provides a weakly initial set. Its initial object is an arrow ${\eta }_B:B\to ULB$ with a natural bijectionFor a morphism $v:B\to B^{\prime }$, define $Lv$ by $U(Lv){\eta }_B={\eta }_{B^{\prime }}v$. Uniqueness proves functoriality and naturality, giving a left adjoint $L⊣U$. Conversely, a right adjoint preserves categorical limits, because applying the adjunction converts a limiting cone over a diagram into the corresponding limiting cone of hom-sets. Its adjunction unit at $B$ is a singleton solution set. This proves both directions of the general adjoint functor theorem.

Apply it to the inclusion $J:\mathbf{KHaus}\hookrightarrow \mathbf{Top}$, where $\mathbf{KHaus}$ is the full subcategory of compact Hausdorff spaces. A small product in a category of compact Hausdorff spaces is again compact Hausdorff by the Tychonoff theorem. An equalizer of two continuous functions into a Hausdorff space is closed, hence compact Hausdorff. Products and equalizers construct all small categorical limits, and the inclusion preserves these constructions. Both categories are locally small.

Fix a topological space $X$ and a continuous function $f:X\to K$ into a compact Hausdorff space. The closure $K_f=\overline{f(X)}$ is compact Hausdorff and has a dense subset of cardinality at most $|X|$. The permitted cardinal estimate givesFor $X=\varnothing$, use $K_f=\varnothing$. Choose a set of representatives of all compact Hausdorff topologies on underlying sets of cardinality at most this bound, and all continuous functions from $X$ to those representatives. Every $f$ factors through one of them, using the inclusion $K_f\hookrightarrow K$. This is the solution-set condition. Consequently the inclusion of compact Hausdorff spaces has a left adjoint, the compact Hausdorff reflection:The universal arrow $X\to RX$ has dense image: factoring it through its closed image and applying uniqueness supplies an inverse to that image inclusion. It need not be an embedding when $X$ is not sufficiently separated; the assertion is a compact Hausdorff reflection, rather than a claim that every topological space embeds in a compact Hausdorff space.

For completeness, the alternative Special adjoint functor theorem can be proved from the same initial-object argument. Its limit form assumes that $\mathcal{A}$ is complete, locally small and well-powered, with a small cogenerating family $(Q_i{)}_{i\in I}$; then $U:\mathcal{A}\to \mathcal{B}$, with $\mathcal{B}$ locally small, has a left adjoint precisely when it preserves small limits. To prove sufficiency, start with $b:B\to UA$ and intersect all subobjects $M\hookrightarrow A$ through which $b$ factors after applying $U$. Well-poweredness makes this a small intersection of subobjects, and preservation of limits gives a smallest supporting object $(M,b_M)$. For maps $s,t:M\rightrightarrows Q_i$, equality $U(s)b_M=U(t)b_M$ makes their equalizer another supporting subobject. Minimality forces that equalizer to be invertible, so $s=t$. Thereforeis an injective function. The evaluation embedding into cogenerator products embeds $M$ in ${\prod }_i{Q}_i^{S_i}$, where $S_i$ is the realized subset of the fixed set $\mathcal{B}(B,U{Q}_i)$. There are only a set of choices of these subsets, only a set of subobjects of each resulting product, and only a set of arrows from $B$ to each $U$-image. They give a solution set, so the already proved general adjoint functor theorem applies. Necessity is again preservation of limits by a right adjoint. For $\mathbf{KHaus}$, monomorphisms are embeddings onto closed subspaces, and $[0,1]$ is a coseparator because continuous functions to it separate points. Thus the Special adjoint functor theorem gives the same reflection directly.

Identify the reflective subcategory with its full replete image, writing ${\eta }_X:X\to LX$ for the reflection unit. An object $Z$ is fixed by $L$ exactly when precomposition with every ${\eta }_X$ gives a bijection $\mathcal{E}(LX,Z)\to \mathcal{E}(X,Z)$. One implication is the reflection adjunction; for the other, take $X=Z$ to obtain a retraction of ${\eta }_Z$, and uniqueness of maps into the fixed object $LZ$ makes it a two-sided inverse.

An ambient finite limit of fixed objects has this same property: its hom-sets are limits of the hom-sets of the diagram, and a limit of these bijections is a bijection. Thus the ambient terminal object, products and equalizers are fixed and retain their universal properties in the full subcategory. The reflective subcategory is Cartesian, with finite limits computed in the ambient topos.

If $G$ is a representable functor, it preserves small categorical limits. Part (b) makes $(1\downarrow G)$ have an initial object, which gives a weakly initial set.

Conversely, assume limit preservation and a weakly initial set in $(1\downarrow G)$. The needed comma-limit fact is explicit: for a small diagram in a category $(A_j,a_j)$, form $L={\lim }_j{A}_j$ in $\mathcal{C}$. The elements $a_j\in G(A_j)$ form a compatible family, hence determine a unique $a\in G(L)$ under $G(L)\cong {\lim }_{j}G(A_j)$. The projections from $(L,a)$ are a categorical limit in the comma category. This includes the empty diagram, since $G$ carries the terminal object to a singleton. Each comma hom-set is a subset of a hom-set in $\mathcal{C}$, so the comma category is also locally small.

Part (c) now gives an initial object of $(1\downarrow G)$, and part (b) supplies a representation of a functor. ThereforeThe size requirement is a genuine solution-set condition; limit preservation alone does not produce it in an arbitrary complete category.

A semi-additive category has commutative-monoid enrichment: each hom-set is a commutative monoid, and composition in a category preserves addition and zero in each variable. In the finite-biproduct convention, which we use here, it also has finite products in a category and coproducts in a category. A preadditive category has abelian groups as its hom-sets, with composition additive in each variable; this definition alone does not require finite products in a category or a zero object.

Let $P={\prod }_{i=1}^n{A}_i$ with projections $p_i$. Define $i_j:A_j\to P$ by $p_i{i}_j=1_{A_j}$ for $i=j$ and $p_i{i}_j=0$ otherwise. Bilinearity givesso product uniqueness gives ${\sum }_j{i}_j{p}_j=1_P$. For a family $f_j:A_j\to X$, set $f={\sum }_j{f}_j{p}_j$. Then $f{i}_j=f_j$. If $h:P\to X$ has the same restrictions, $h=h{\sum }_j{i}_j{p}_j={\sum }_j{f}_j{p}_j=f$. Thus the product in a category is also the coproduct in a category, with its canonical injections. Conversely, the analogous construction from a finite coproduct in a category gives projections and the same identities, proving that it is a product in a category.

For the empty family, a terminal object $T$ has a singleton endomorphism monoid, so $1_T=0$. Every map $T\to X$ equals its composite with $1_T=0$, hence equals the zero map; this map exists by enrichment. Therefore $T$ is also an initial object, a zero object. The dual argument applies to an initial object. Consequently finite products in a category and coproducts in a category coincide canonically as biproducts, including the nullary case.

Fix an object $C$. For $x:C\to B$, use $rx:C\to A$ as its identity arrow. For $a:C\to A$, its source is $fa$ and target is $ga$. If $ga=fb$, define the composite of $a$ followed by $b$ byThese expressions use addition and subtraction in the hom-set of the preadditive category. The reflexive pair identities $fr=gr=1_B$ giveso the composite has the required endpoints. Also $f(a^{-1})=ga$ and $g(a^{-1})=fa$.

The unit identities follow directly: $a\circ rfa=rfa+a-rfa=a$ and $rga\circ a=a+rga-rga=a$. If $ga=fb$ and $gb=fc$, either parenthesization of three arrows equals $a+b+c-rga-rgb$, so composition is associative. The inverse identities areTherefore these operations define a groupoid on the specified object and arrow sets. Precomposing by $k:C^{\prime }\to C$ respects each expression, by additivity of composition, so the groupoids are natural in $C$.

Every reflexive pair therefore has the required groupoid structure on generalized points. This is the reflexive-pair groupoid formula in a preadditive category. If the composable-arrow pullback in a category $A{\times }_{g,B,f}A$ exists, its projections $p,q$ give the actual internal composition map $p+q-rgp$. The printed generalized-point definition does not assume that this pullback exists, and preadditivity alone would not ensure it.

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.