Make paths object optional

Author: MikeRalphson

versions/3.1.0.md

@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ Field Name | Type | Description
 <a name="oasVersion"></a>openapi | `string` | **REQUIRED**. This string MUST be the [semantic version number](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html) of the [OpenAPI Specification version](#versions) that the OpenAPI document uses. The `openapi` field SHOULD be used by tooling specifications and clients to interpret the OpenAPI document. This is *not* related to the API [`info.version`](#infoVersion) string.
 <a name="oasInfo"></a>info | [Info Object](#infoObject) | **REQUIRED**. Provides metadata about the API. The metadata MAY be used by tooling as required.
 <a name="oasServers"></a>servers | [[Server Object](#serverObject)] | An array of Server Objects, which provide connectivity information to a target server. If the `servers` property is not provided, or is an empty array, the default value would be a [Server Object](#serverObject) with a [url](#serverUrl) value of `/`.
-<a name="oasPaths"></a>paths | [Paths Object](#pathsObject) | **REQUIRED**. The available paths and operations for the API.
+<a name="oasPaths"></a>paths | [Paths Object](#pathsObject) | The available paths and operations for the API.
 <a name="oasComponents"></a>components | [Components Object](#componentsObject) | An element to hold various schemas for the specification.
 <a name="oasSecurity"></a>security | [[Security Requirement Object](#securityRequirementObject)] | A declaration of which security mechanisms can be used across the API. The list of values includes alternative security requirement objects that can be used. Only one of the security requirement objects need to be satisfied to authorize a request. Individual operations can override this definition.
 <a name="oasTags"></a>tags | [[Tag Object](#tagObject)] | A list of tags used by the specification with additional metadata. The order of the tags can be used to reflect on their order by the parsing tools. Not all tags that are used by the [Operation Object](#operationObject) must be declared. The tags that are not declared MAY be organized randomly or based on the tools' logic. Each tag name in the list MUST be unique.
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ components:
 #### <a name="pathsObject"></a>Paths Object
 
 Holds the relative paths to the individual endpoints and their operations.
-The path is appended to the URL from the [`Server Object`](#serverObject) in order to construct the full URL.  The Paths MAY be empty, due to [ACL constraints](#securityFiltering).
+The path is appended to the URL from the [`Server Object`](#serverObject) in order to construct the full URL.  The Paths MAY be empty, due to [ACL constraints](#securityFiltering). Paths MAY be omitted in some classes of OAS documents, including referenced sub-documents and overlays.
 
 ##### Patterned Fields
 
@@ -3394,7 +3394,7 @@ While not part of the specification itself, certain libraries MAY choose to allo
 
 Two examples of this:
 
-1. The [Paths Object](#pathsObject) MAY be empty. It may be counterintuitive, but this may tell the viewer that they got to the right place, but can't access any documentation. They'd still have access to the [Info Object](#infoObject) which may contain additional information regarding authentication.
+1. The [Paths Object](#pathsObject) MAY be present but empty. It may be counterintuitive, but this may tell the viewer that they got to the right place, but can't access any documentation. They would still have access to the [Info Object](#infoObject) which may contain additional information regarding authentication.
 2. The [Path Item Object](#pathItemObject) MAY be empty. In this case, the viewer will be aware that the path exists, but will not be able to see any of its operations or parameters. This is different than hiding the path itself from the [Paths Object](#pathsObject), so the user will not be aware of its existence. This allows the documentation provider to finely control what the viewer can see.
 
 ## <a name="revisionHistory"></a>Appendix A: Revision History