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For small categories $\mathcal{C},\mathcal{D}$, a functor $F:\mathcal{C}\to \mathcal{D}$ and $Q:\mathcal{C}\to \mathbf{Set}$, choose an infinite cardinal number $\kappa$ bounding the number of morphisms of $\mathcal{D}$ and the total number of elements of $Q$. Given a natural transformation $\eta :Q\to GF$, generate a subfunctor $G^{\prime }\subseteq G$ from all ${\eta }_c(x)$ by applying every outgoing $\mathcal{D}$-morphism. Each $G^{\prime }(d)$ has at most $\kappa$ elements. Label bounded values by subsets of $\kappa$; only a set of such functors and transformations exists. These factorizations give the solution-set condition for precomposition, whose left adjoint is the left Kan extension.

Every functor $F:\mathcal{C}\to \mathbf{Set}$ on a small category is the colimit of the covariant representable functors $\mathcal{C}(A,-)$ indexed by the opposite of its category of elements. The cocone indexed by $(A,x)$ sends $f:A\to B$ to $F(f)(x)$. By the Yoneda lemma, a compatible cocone into $G$ is exactly a natural transformation $F\to G$. The opposite indexing direction is essential because precomposition reverses the representing-object arrow.

For a categorical presheaf $P$ on a small category, its category of elements has objects $(c,x)$ with $x\in P(c)$ and arrows $u:(c,x)\to (d,y)$ satisfying $P(u)y=x$. The canonical natural transformation $H_c\to P$ sends $v:a\to c$ to $P(v)x$. These maps exhibit $P$ as the displayed colimit. At $a$, a representative $(c,x,v)$ maps to $P(v)x$, with inverse $z\mapsto (a,z,1_a)$. The arrow $v:(a,P(v)x)\to (c,x)$ identifies every representative with its canonical inverse image, proving the bijection and the colimit universal property.

Objects are small categories and morphisms are functors. Its products pair objects and arrows componentwise. Its exponential objects are functor categories, as shown by the currying adjunction for small categories.

A category is Cauchy-complete when every idempotent morphism splits: for $e:A\to A$ with $e^2=e$, there are $r:A\to B$ and $i:B\to A$ with $ir=e$ and $ri=1_B$. Its Karoubi envelope freely supplies these splittings. For a small category, this condition makes every retract of a representable functor representable.

Two objects of a category lie in the same connected component if a finite zigzag of morphisms, with either orientation allowed, joins them. This is an equivalence relation; its classes give full subcategories, each a connected category. For a small category, the collection of components is a set denoted ${\pi }_0(\mathcal{C})$. A functor induces a function on components. Empty categories have no components.

For a regular category that is a small category, a regular functor to the Category of sets that reflects isomorphisms exists exactly when the category has almost total support for a regular category. Necessity follows because a nonempty image forces the object's support to be terminal, while an empty image makes all projections $A\times X\to A$ invertible and makes all equalizers of maps out of $A$ invertible. This proves that $A$ is strict initial. For sufficiency, use the capitalization theorem to map conservatively and regularly into a capital regular category, then take global sections of a capital regular category. Well-supported objects retain points; proper strict initial objects retain empty point sets. A bijection between nonempty point sets makes the image subobject entire and makes the kernel-pair diagonal entire, by well-pointedness. Thus the image arrow is both a regular epimorphism and a monomorphism, and is invertible. The capitalization theorem is a substantive existence input; this argument does not infer arbitrary large-category representability from small-category hypotheses.

For a set-valued covariant functor on a small category, the Yoneda lemma sends the element $x\in F(c)$ to the transformation $\mathcal{C}(c,-)\to F$. These transformations form a cocone indexed by the opposite category of elements. At $a$, send the representative $(c,x,u:c\to a)$ to $F(u)x$. It is surjective using $(a,z,1_a)$; two representatives of $z$ are identified through that same object of the category of elements. This proves the displayed presentation pointwise.

A coverage specifies covering families on a small category, stable under refinement along arrows: for a covering family into $C$ and $f:B\to C$, there is a covering family into $B$ whose composites with $f$ factor through the original family. Passing to generated sieves and imposing maximality and local transitivity gives its associated Grothendieck topology, with the same sheaves on a site. One can equivalently specify the saturated covering sieves directly. Rigidity refers to these covering sieves, so it is unchanged by replacing a family presentation by its generated topology.

For categorical presheaves $P,Q$ on a small category, restrictions in the displayed exponential object act by precomposition with $H_u\times 1_P$. Evaluation sends $(\alpha ,x)$ at $c$ to ${\alpha }_c(1_c,x)$. The currying of $t:R\times P\to Q$ sends $z\in R(c)$ to the natural transformation whose value on $(v:a\to c,x\in P(a))$ is $t_a(R(v)z,x)$. Evaluation and currying are inverse and natural, proving the Cartesian closed category structure.

For a small category, this formula defines the exponential object in its covariant set-valued functor category. An arrow $c\to d$ acts by precomposition with $\mathcal{C}(d,-)\to \mathcal{C}(c,-)$. Evaluation applies a natural transformation to $(1_c,z)$; currying a map $P\times G\to H$ sends $p\in P(c)$ to the transformation $(f,z)\mapsto \theta (P(f)p,z)$. The formulas prove the universal property directly, without an adjoint existence theorem.

A functor $F:\mathcal{C}\to \mathbf{Set}$ is finite-limit-preserving if it carries each finite limit cone to a limiting cone. When $\mathcal{C}$ is a small category with finite limits, this is equivalent to $F$ being a filtered colimit in a category of covariant representable functors, and to the opposite of its category of elements being a filtered category. It is also equivalent to every comma category $(S\downarrow F)$ having finite limits, for all sets $S$.

For a small category with finite limits, a set-valued functor preserving them has a category of elements with finite limits, so its opposite is a filtered category. The covariant density presentation is therefore a filtered colimit of representable functors. Conversely, representable functors preserve categorical limits, and filtered colimits commute with finite limits in sets, proving the criterion.

For a small category $\mathcal{C}$, its presheaf category is the free enlargement under small colimits. Each categorical presheaf $P$ is the colimit of the diagram sending $(C,x)\in \int P$ to the representable presheaf $yC$. The map at $(C,x)$ sends $f:A\to C$ to $P(f)x$. It is surjective at each $A$ because $z\in P(A)$ is the image of $1_A$ at $(A,z)$. If two representatives have the same image $z$, they are both identified with the representative $1_A$ at $(A,z)$ by arrows in the category of elements, proving injectivity. Thus $P\cong {\mathrm{colim}}_{(C,x)\in \int P}yC$. For a cocomplete target, a functor on $\mathcal{C}$ extends by these colimits, uniquely up to natural isomorphism among colimit-preserving extensions.

For a small category $\mathcal{C}$, an object $P$ of $[\mathcal{C},\mathbf{Set}]$ is an irreducible projective when $\mathrm{Nat}(P,-)$ preserves coproduct in a category objects and epimorphisms. Preservation of coproducts means every map from $P$ into a coproduct factors uniquely through one summand. Such objects are precisely retracts of representable functors; when the indexing category $\mathcal{C}$ is a Cauchy-complete category, they are representable. To see the retract, split the canonical epimorphism from a coproduct of representables using projectivity, and use coproduct preservation to factor the splitting through one summand.

For small categories and a set-valued functor $Q$, each displayed colimit exists in the Category of sets. A representative $(c,u:Fc\to d,x\in Qc)$ maps under a natural transformation $\eta :Q\to GF$ to $G(u){\eta }_c(x)$. The colimit identifications make this well-defined, proving the adjunction between left Kan extension and precomposition.

For $X:{\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}}\to \mathbf{Set}$, let $\int X$ be its category of elements. Its objects are $(A,a)$ with $a\in X(A)$; an arrow $(A,a)\to (B,b)$ is a morphism $f:A\to B$ satisfying $X(f)b=a$. This is a small category, because $\mathcal{C}$ is small and all values of $X$ are sets.

Send $(A,a)$ to the representable presheaf $h_A$, and send an arrow $f$ to postcomposition $h_f$. There is a cocone to $X$ whose map at $(A,a)$ isThe functor laws give its naturality and the required cocone compatibility.

Compute the colimit pointwise as a disjoint union modulo its diagram identifications. At $C$ a representative is a triple $(A,a,g:C\to A)$, and it maps to $X(g)a\in X(C)$. Every $x\in X(C)$ is the image of $(C,x,1_C)$. Moreover $g$ is an arrow $(C,X(g)a)\to (A,a)$ in $\int X$, so its diagram relation identifiesThus every representative is identified with the canonical representative of its image. Two representatives have equal images exactly when their canonical representatives agree. This proves a componentwise bijection; restriction maps respect it. The resulting natural isomorphism is the canonical colimit presentation of a presheaf:

Working with a small category $\mathcal{C}$ (or in a fixed ambient universe), for a categorical presheaf $X$ and fixed $U$, apply the categorical coend construction to $T(A,B)=\mathcal{C}(U,B)\times X(A)$. It is the quotient of the disjoint union of pairs $(h:U\to W,x\in X(W))$ by the relationsDefine ${\Phi }_U([h,x])=X(h)x$. It respects every relation because $X(fh)x=X(h)X(f)x$. Define ${\Psi }_U(y)=[1_U,y]$. Then ${\Phi }_U{\Psi }_U(y)=y$. Conversely the relation with $f=h:U\to W$ gives $[h,x]=[1_U,X(h)x]$, so ${\Psi }_U{\Phi }_U$ is the identity morphism. ThereforeFor $k:V\to U$, restriction on the categorical coend sends $[h,x]$ to $[hk,x]$, and ${\Phi }_V([hk,x])=X(k){\Phi }_U([h,x])$. A natural transformation $X\to Y$ likewise acts on the second coordinate and commutes with $\Phi$. Thus the density formula for presheaves is a natural isomorphism, not just a family of unrelated bijections.

For a locally small category $\mathcal{C}$, an object $A$, and a functor $F:\mathcal{C}\to \mathbf{Set}$, the covariant form of the Yoneda lemma is the natural bijectionFor $x\in F(A)$ define ${\alpha }_B^x(f)=F(f)(x)$, where $f:A\to B$. For $u:B\to D$, functoriality gives $F(u){\alpha }_B^x(f)=F(uf)(x)={\alpha }_D^x(uf)$, so this is a natural transformation. Conversely, naturality of $\alpha$ at $f:A\to B$ gives ${\alpha }_B(f)=F(f){\alpha }_A(1_A)$. The two constructions are inverse. They are natural in $F$, because a natural transformation $F\Rightarrow G$ commutes with evaluation. They are also natural in $A$: an arrow $v:A^{\prime }\to A$ induces $\mathcal{C}(A,-)\to \mathcal{C}(A^{\prime },-)$ by precomposition, and the resulting map $\mathrm{Nat}(\mathcal{C}(A^{\prime },-),F)\to \mathrm{Nat}(\mathcal{C}(A,-),F)$ corresponds to $F(v):F(A^{\prime })\to F(A)$. Applying the result to the opposite category gives $\mathrm{Nat}(\mathcal{C}(-,A),H)\cong H(A)$ for $H:{\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}}\to \mathbf{Set}$.

Now let $\mathcal{C}$ be a small category, and let $F,G:\mathcal{C}\to \mathbf{Set}$. Finite products in a category in $[\mathcal{C},\mathbf{Set}]$ exist pointwise; the terminal functor is the constant singleton functor. Define the exponential of covariant set-valued functors bySmallness ensures that these natural transformations form a set. For $u:C\to D$, define $(G^F)(u)(\alpha )$ at $E$ byPrecomposition respects identities and composition, so this defines a functor. Its evaluation map of an exponential object isTo check naturality, for $u:C\to D$ both sides give ${\alpha }_D(u,F(u)x)$: one side uses naturality of $\alpha$, and the other uses the defining action of $G^F$.

Here is the full universal property. Given $\theta :H\times F\Rightarrow G$, define $\hat{\theta }:H\Rightarrow G^F$ byFor $w:D\to E$, naturality of $\theta$ makes this commute with $G(w)$, so ${\hat{\theta }}_C(h)$ is a natural transformation. Replacing $h$ by $H(u)h$ is the same as precomposing $v$ by $u$, proving naturality in $C$. Conversely, $\beta :H\Rightarrow G^F$ gives ${\theta }_C(h,x)={\beta }_C(h{)}_C(1_C,x)$. Starting with $\theta$ recovers it immediately. Starting with $\beta$, its naturality at $v:C\to D$ yieldsso it too is recovered. The formulas are natural in $H$ and $G$, giving the required adjunction $(-)\times F⊣(-{)}^F$. Therefore the covariant functor category is cartesian closed. This proof supplies the actual exponential and does not need a colimit presentation of its arguments.

Finally suppose $\mathcal{C}$ itself is a small category which is a Cartesian closed category. In its presheaf category, the same construction, applied to ${\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}}$, givesThe first isomorphism uses the product's universal property: a map into $C\times A$ is precisely a pair of maps into $C$ and $A$. The next is the Yoneda lemma, and the last is the exponential adjunction in $\mathcal{C}$. Each step is natural in $C$, $A$, and $B$. Under these identifications, evaluation corresponds to $Y$ of the evaluation $B^A\times A\to B$. Hence the Yoneda embedding preserves exponentials, with the natural identification $\boxed{Y(B^A)\cong (YB{)}^{YA}}$.