The Repository API allows Arbortext Editor authors to work with virtual documents made up of separate document objects that are stored and controlled independently. This makes it easy for Arbortext Editor users to share and reuse pieces of tagged text (SGML, XML, or HTML) in multiple documents. These individual components can be file entities or externally managed virtual documents. File entities and document objects may be edited directly within their parent document(s).

Stored document objects are accessed via the Repository API. An additional set of Arbortext Command Language (ACL) functions are provided to handle the basics of object manipulation such as browsing, loading, and saving. The Repository API is generalized, and can be applied to a wide variety of document repositories. An Adapter is designed to handle the details of the interface between Arbortext Editor's Repository API and a specific document repository.