$ref pointing to a field in the same object is rendered as string

Q&A

• OS: Linux
• Browser: Firefox
• Version: 106.0b9
• Method of installation: Docker
• Swagger-UI version: 4.14.3
• Swagger/OpenAPI version: OpenAPI 3.0

Content & configuration

I see the behaviour in the Swagger UI and Swagger Editor.

Example Swagger/OpenAPI definition:

openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  version: 1.0.0
  title: Title
paths:
  /:
    get:
      responses:
        '200':
          description: 'OK'
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkScheduled'
components:
  schemas:
    LinkScheduled:
      type: object
      properties:
        feeder:
          type: string
          format: uuid
        fetcher:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkScheduled/properties/feeder'

Describe the bug you're encountering

$ref pointing to a property in the same object is rendered as string even if it is not a string.
If I open a type in the schema and reload the schema (with „Explore“ button in the Swagger UI) the field is rendered correctly, and the later reloads keep the correct field.

To reproduce...

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Open the API definition in Swagger UI
2. Click on „GET /”
3. Look at the example
4. See "fetcher": "string"
5. Click on Schemas -> LinkScheduled
6. Click on „Explore“ to reload the definition
7. See "fetcher": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6"

Expected behavior

The „fetcher“ field is rendered as "fetcher": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6".

Screenshots

Start by reproducing the issue in Swagger UI and Swagger Editor with the OpenAPI 3.0 definition from the report. Compare the initial rendering of the fetcher field with the rendering after Schemas → LinkScheduled → Explore; done means the field consistently renders the UUID example without requiring a reload.