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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 cellular Omega-spectra $D,E$, natural degree-preserving additive operations $D^{\ast }\to E^{\ast }$ commuting with suspension are compatible families $[D_j,E_j{]}_{\ast }$ by the Yoneda lemma. Since $D\simeq {\mathrm{hocolim}}_j{\Sigma }^{-j}{\Sigma }^{\infty }{D}_j$, the Milnor exact sequence for maps of spectra realizes every such family. Its kernel consists precisely of hyperphantom maps of spectra. Thus operations determine stable maps only modulo that kernel.

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.

For a locally small category $\mathcal{C}$, every representable functor $\mathcal{C}(A,-)$ is a projective object in a category in $[\mathcal{C},\mathbf{Set}]$. The Yoneda lemma identifies maps from this functor with elements at $A$, and the pointwise epimorphism in a functor category criterion lets such an element be lifted through any epimorphism.

The covariant version of the Yoneda embedding sends an object to its outgoing representable functor. Precomposition reverses arrows. The Yoneda lemma gives $\mathrm{Nat}(Y(A),Y(B))\cong \mathcal{C}(B,A)$, so it is full and faithful. It carries existing colimits in $\mathcal{C}$ to pointwise categorical limits.

In a complete category that is a locally small category with a coseparator $S$ and all monomorphisms regular, an object $A$ is an exponentiable object exactly when $\mathcal{C}(-\times A,S)$ is a representable functor. A representing object $E$ gives representations $E^I$ for maps into powers $S^I$. An equalizer presentation by powers of a coseparator then constructs a representation for maps into every target. The Yoneda lemma makes these representations functorial and supplies the right adjoint.

The geometric morphism induced by $T:\mathcal{C}\to \mathcal{D}$ is a geometric embedding exactly when $T$ is full and faithful. Its right adjoint has $(f_{\ast }H)(d)=\mathrm{Nat}(\mathcal{D}(T-,d),H)$. The counit at $c$ is precomposition with $\mathcal{C}(-,c)\to \mathcal{D}(T-,Tc)$. It is invertible for all $H$ precisely when that comparison presheaf is an isomorphism, by the Yoneda lemma, which is precisely full faithfulness of $T$.

If $H:{\mathcal{A}}^{\mathrm{op}}\times \mathcal{B}\to \mathbf{Set}$ has chosen representations ${\psi }_B:\mathcal{A}(-,GB)\cong H(-,B)$, the Yoneda lemma determines a unique functor $G$ on morphisms by $\mathcal{A}(-,Gb)={\psi }_{B^{\prime }}^{-1}H(-,b){\psi }_B$. This makes the representing natural isomorphisms natural in $B$.

Here a universal element means a pair $(A,u)$, with $u\in X(A)$, such that for every $B$ and every $x\in X(B)$ there is a unique morphism $f:B\to A$ satisfying $X(f)(u)=x$. Equivalently,By the Yoneda lemma these component maps constitute a natural transformation $h_A\to X$. If $u$ is universal, every component is bijective, so this is a natural isomorphism and $X$ is a representable presheaf. Conversely a natural isomorphism $h_A\to X$ takes $1_A$ to an element $u$ with exactly this property. In the category of elements of the contravariant functor $X$, $(A,u)$ is a terminal object: every $(B,x)$ has a unique arrow to it.

The Yoneda embedding sends $A$ to $h_A=\mathcal{C}(-,A)$ and $u:A\to B$ to postcomposition $h_u:h_A\to h_B$. Apply the Yoneda lemma with $X=h_B$:The inverse sends $u$ precisely to $h_u$, because its component at $C$ maps $f:C\to A$ to $uf$. Hence the induced maps on all hom-sets are bijections. The Yoneda embedding is full and faithful.

Let $\mathcal{C}$ be a locally small category, let $h_A=\mathcal{C}(-,A)$ be a representable presheaf, and let $X:{\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}}\to \mathbf{Set}$. The Yoneda lemma gives a bijection, natural in $A$ and $X$,For $x\in X(A)$, define a natural transformation ${\alpha }^x:h_A\to X$ byFor $v:C\to B$, the functor composition law gives $X(v){\alpha }_B^x(f)=X(fv)(x)={\alpha }_C^x(fv)$, proving naturality. Conversely, naturality of any $\alpha :h_A\to X$ along $f:B\to A$ givesThus $\alpha$ is determined by its displayed element, and ${\alpha }_A^x(1_A)=x$ proves that the constructions are inverse.

A natural transformation $\theta :X\to Y$ sends the element to ${\theta }_A(x)$, which corresponds to $\theta {\alpha }^x$. A morphism $u:A^{\prime }\to A$ induces $h_u:h_{A^{\prime }}\to h_A$; precomposition by $h_u$ sends the element to $X(u)(x)$. This proves naturality in both variables and completes the Yoneda lemma proof.

Write the Yoneda embedding as $h:\mathcal{C}\to \hat{\mathcal{C}}$. For any finite product in a category, its universal property givesThese bijections are natural, so $h$ preserves finite products. Now use the exponential in a presheaf category, followed by the Yoneda lemma and the exponential object property in $\mathcal{C}$:Every step is natural in $D$, so these component bijections form a natural isomorphismUnder this isomorphism, the image of the evaluation $B^A\times A\to B$ is the presheaf evaluation: both correspond to the same identity of the exponential under the transpose bijection. Thus the Yoneda embedding preserves exponentials, including their evaluation maps.

Define the Yoneda embedding $H_{\bullet }:\mathcal{C}\to [{\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}},\mathbf{Set}]$ by $H_A(U)=\mathcal{C}(U,A)$ and $H_A(k)(h)=hk$. For $f:A\to B$, define $H_{\bullet }(f{)}_U(h)=fh$. Associativity proves naturality in $U$, and preservation of identity morphisms and composition in a category proves that $H_{\bullet }$ is a functor.

Apply the Yoneda lemma to $X=H_B$. It givesThe natural transformation corresponding to $f$ has component $h\mapsto fh$, exactly $H_{\bullet }(f)$. Therefore the induced map on every hom-set is a bijection: the Yoneda embedding is full and faithful.

For a categorical presheaf $X:{\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}}\to \mathbf{Set}$ and $A\in \mathcal{C}$, the Yoneda lemma gives a natural bijectionTo construct its inverse, take $x\in X(A)$ and set ${\theta }_U^x(h)=X(h)x$ for $h:U\to A$. For $k:V\to U$, the functor law gives $X(k){\theta }_U^x(h)=X(hk)x={\theta }_V^x(hk)$, so ${\theta }^x$ is a natural transformation. Conversely, naturality of any $\theta$ at $h:U\to A$ gives ${\theta }_U(h)=X(h){\theta }_A(1_A)$. Thus the two constructions are inverse, proving the bijection.

The bijection is natural in $X$: a natural transformation $t:X\to Y$ sends the distinguished element $x$ to $t_A(x)$ on either side. It is natural in $A$: for $f:A\to B$, precomposing a transformation $\mathcal{C}(-,B)\to X$ with postcomposition by $f$ sends its distinguished element $x\in X(B)$ to $X(f)x$. These equations prove the claimed naturality, rather than just an objectwise correspondence. Reversing morphisms gives the covariant form $\mathrm{Nat}(\mathcal{C}(A,-),Z)\cong Z(A)$ for $Z:\mathcal{C}\to \mathbf{Set}$.

The category of elements $\int X$ has objects $(W,x)$ for $x\in X(W)$, and morphisms $f:(W,x)\to (V,y)$ with $X(f)y=x$. Send $(W,x)$ to the representable presheaf $H_W$, and a morphism $f$ to $H_{\bullet }(f)$. The element $x$ supplies a natural transformation $H_W\to X$ with component $h\mapsto X(h)x$, by the Yoneda lemma. These transformations form a cocone.

Pointwise at $U$, the colimit of this diagram in a category has representatives $(W,x,h:U\to W)$, with relation $(W,X(f)y,h)\sim (V,y,fh)$. These are exactly the relations of the preceding categorical coend. Its proved natural isomorphism with $X(U)$ therefore identifies the cocone with the universal colimit cocone. More directly, every representative equals $(U,X(h)x,1_U)$ through the morphism $h:(U,X(h)x)\to (W,x)$; two representatives with the same image therefore agree. As $\mathcal{C}$ is small, $\int X$ is small, so this is an ordinary small colimit. Consequently

For $c\in \mathcal{C}$ and $d\in \mathcal{D}$, define maps of hom-setsThey are natural in $c,d$, using naturality of $\eta ,\epsilon$. The one supplied triangle identity for an adjunction givesNaturality of $\epsilon$ also givesSince $\alpha \beta =1$, the composite $\beta \alpha$ is idempotent. Evaluating its equation $(\beta \alpha {)}^2=\beta \alpha$ on $f=1_{Fc}$ gives $e_c^2=e_c$. As $e$ is a composite of natural transformations, this proves that $e$ is an idempotent in the functor category, including the required naturality.

Suppose this one-triangle adjunction idempotent splits as natural transformations $F\stackrel{r}{\to }H\stackrel{i}{\to }F$ with $ri=1_H$ and $ir=e$. The maps $h\mapsto hr$ and $f\mapsto fi$ give inverse bijections between $\mathcal{D}(Hc,d)$ and the subset of $\mathcal{D}(Fc,d)$ consisting of maps with $f{e}_c=f$. Indeed $(hr)e_c=hrir=hr$, $(hr)i=h$, and $(fi)r=f{e}_c=f$. The maps $\alpha ,\beta$ give inverse bijections between that subset and $\mathcal{C}(c,Gd)$, since $\beta \alpha (f)=f{e}_c$ and $\alpha \beta =1$. Combining them gives the natural bijectionwith inverse $g\mapsto {\epsilon }_{d}F(g)i_c$. Hence $H⊣G$. Its adjunction unit is $Gr\eta$ and its adjunction counit is $\epsilon i_G$.

Conversely, suppose $H⊣G$, with natural bijection $\theta :\mathcal{D}(Hc,d)\cong \mathcal{C}(c,Gd)$. Set $\tau ={\theta }^{-1}\alpha$ and $\sigma =\beta \theta$. Then $\tau \sigma =1$ and $\sigma \tau (f)=f{e}_c$. By the covariant Yoneda lemma, the transformation $\tau :\mathcal{D}(Fc,-)\to \mathcal{D}(Hc,-)$ is precomposition with a unique morphism $i_c:Hc\to Fc$, and $\sigma$ is precomposition with a unique morphism $r_c:Fc\to Hc$. The equation $\tau \sigma =1$ evaluated at $1_{Hc}$ gives $r_c{i}_c=1_{Hc}$; the equation $\sigma \tau (f)=f{e}_c$ evaluated at $1_{Fc}$ gives $i_c{r}_c=e_c$. Naturality in $c$ of $\tau ,\sigma$ implies, again by the same Yoneda lemma, that $i,r$ are natural transformations. Thus they split $e$ in the whole functor category, rather than merely at individual objects. We have proved

The Yoneda embedding is the functor $H_{\bullet }:\mathcal{C}\to [{\mathcal{C}}^{\mathrm{op}},\mathbf{Set}]$ sending $A$ to $H_A=\mathcal{C}(-,A)$ and $f:A\to B$ to postcomposition, $(H_f{)}_U(h)=fh$. Composition and identities are preserved by associativity and the identity laws in $\mathcal{C}$.

Apply the Yoneda lemma with $X=H_B$. It gives a bijection $\mathrm{Nat}(H_A,H_B)\cong \mathcal{C}(A,B)$. The inverse sends $f$ precisely to $H_f$, since $H_B(h)(f)=fh$. Hence every transformation between the representables comes from exactly one morphism of $\mathcal{C}$. This proves that $H_{\bullet }$ is a full and faithful functor.

Write $H_A=\mathcal{C}(-,A)$ for a representable presheaf. The contravariant Yoneda lemma states that, for every presheaf on a category $X$, evaluation at the identity is a bijectionnatural in both $A$ and $X$. Smallness of $\mathcal{C}$ ensures the relevant families and natural-transformation collections are sets.

For $x\in X(A)$ define ${\alpha }_B^x(h)=X(h)(x)$ for each $h:B\to A$. This family is a natural transformation: for $u:B^{\prime }\to B$, $X(u){\alpha }_B^x(h)=X(u)X(h)x=X(hu)x={\alpha }_{B^{\prime }}^x(hu)$. Its identity value is $x$. Conversely, naturality of any $\alpha$ at $h:B\to A$ gives ${\alpha }_B(h)=X(h){\alpha }_A(1_A)$. Thus evaluation and the displayed construction are inverse.

For a map $v:A\to A^{\prime }$, precomposing a transformation $H_{A^{\prime }}\to X$ with postcomposition $H_A\to H_{A^{\prime }}$ corresponds to applying $X(v):X(A^{\prime })\to X(A)$. For a transformation $\tau :X\to Y$, postcomposition corresponds to $x\mapsto {\tau }_A(x)$. These identities prove the stated naturality in both variables.