> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nika.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# read

> Contract, placement, related fields and source examples for this Nika YAML field.

[Language reference](/reference/language/overview) / `read`

## Meaning and placement

### → permits → fs

The schema declares this field at the location below.

| Property        | Declaration                                         |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Requirement     | Optional in this object                             |
| Schema location | `/properties/permits/properties/fs/properties/read` |
| type            | "array"                                             |

**In the same object:** [write](/reference/language/words/write)

[Schema source (use the pointer above)](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/schemas/workflow.schema.json)

## In a source template

Excerpt from `templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml`, source lines 62–71. This is a fragment, not a runnable workflow.

```yaml illustration theme={"system"}
    # boundary`. One exact file, never the tree it sits in. The drift detector
    # models a multipart part as a read (2026-07-29) — the former NIKA-DRIFT-001
    # false hint is closed.
    read: ["./out/assets/asset-1.png"]   # SLOT: keep in step with const.asset_path

tasks:
  create:
    invoke:
      tool: "nika:fetch"
      args:
```

### Templates containing this field

| Template                                    | Source                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml` | [Line 65](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml#L65) |
| `templates/chain.nika.yaml`                 | [Line 42](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/chain.nika.yaml#L42)                 |
| `templates/etl-state.nika.yaml`             | [Line 58](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/etl-state.nika.yaml#L58)             |
| `templates/fanout.nika.yaml`                | [Line 83](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/fanout.nika.yaml#L83)                |
| `templates/human-gated-ship.nika.yaml`      | [Line 74](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/human-gated-ship.nika.yaml#L74)      |

These are literal key occurrences in the source files, not an execution or conformance claim. [How to instantiate a template](/guides/templates).

## Contract and implementation

This page projects the named specification revision. Check [released engine status](/reference/status) and [the validation workflow](/guides/agent-authoring) before running a file. An optional field is not evidence that every engine supports every value.

Canonical identity: `language:word:read`. Spec revision: [`c5ebbb7b862b`](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/tree/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6).

[How documentation stays connected](/reference/knowledge-system).