---
title: "Retrieve categories"
method: GET
path: "/category"
tags: ["Categories"]
---

# Retrieve categories

`GET /category`

Retrieves categories.

## Query parameters

- `status` 'active' | 'inactive'
- `chapter` string
- `form` string
- `parent` string
- `season` string
- `deleted` 'only' | 'included' | 'none'
- `page` number
- `per_page` number
- `order` 'chapter_count' | 'created' | 'divisions' | 'entry_count' | 'form' | 'name' | 'parent' | 'promoted' | 'season' | 'shortcode' | 'status' | 'updated'
- `dir` 'asc' | 'desc'

## Headers

- `Accept` 'application/vnd.Creative Force.v2.3+json' | 'application/vnd.Creative Force.v2.3+xml', required
- `x-api-language` string[]

## Response `200`

Categories retrieved.

- CategoryList — Pagination envelope returned by every list endpoint. Wraps the result set with positional fields (`current_page`, `from`, `to`, `total`) and navigation URLs (`first_page_url`, `last_page_url`, `next_page_url`, `prev_page_url`) for traversing the full list. The records themselves are returned in a sibling `data` array supplied by the wrapping schema.
  - `current_page` integer — Number of the page returned by this response. The first page is `1`.
  - `first_page_url` string — URL of the first page in the result set. Relative when the requested page is beyond the last page.
  - `from` integer, nullable — Position of the first record on this page within the full result set. The first record is at position `1`. `null` when the requested page is beyond the last page.
  - `last_page` integer — Number of the last page. Equals the total number of pages.
  - `last_page_url` string — URL of the last page in the result set. Relative when the requested page is beyond the last page.
  - `next_page_url` string — URL of the next page in the result set. Empty string when the current page is the last page.
  - `path` string — Canonical URL of the endpoint, without query parameters.
  - `per_page` integer — Maximum number of records returned per page.
  - `prev_page_url` string — URL of the previous page in the result set. Empty string when the current page is the first page.
  - `to` integer, nullable — Position of the last record on this page within the full result set. `null` when the requested page is beyond the last page.
  - `total` integer — Total number of records across all pages.
  - `data` object[]
    - `created` string, date-time — Date and time when the category was created.
    - `description` object — Description shown to entrants on the category, as an HTML fragment. Map keyed by locale code (for example, `en_GB` or `fr_FR`). Keys are drawn from the languages enabled on the account. Values are the translated string.
    - `divisions` integer — Number of divisions configured for the category. Always at least `1`.
    - `form` object — Entry form attached to the category.
      - `slug` string — Short URL-safe identifier for the form.
      - `link` string, uri — Canonical URL for the form resource.
      - `name` object — Map keyed by locale code (for example, `en_GB` or `fr_FR`). Keys are drawn from the languages enabled on the account. Values are the translated string.
    - `name` object — Display name of the category. Map keyed by locale code (for example, `en_GB` or `fr_FR`). Keys are drawn from the languages enabled on the account. Values are the translated string.
    - `parent` object, nullable — Parent category this category sits under. `null` for a top-level category.
      - `slug` string — Short URL-safe identifier for the parent category.
      - `link` string, uri — Canonical URL for the parent category resource.
      - `name` object — Map keyed by locale code (for example, `en_GB` or `fr_FR`). Keys are drawn from the languages enabled on the account. Values are the translated string.
    - `promoted` 0 | 1 | null, nullable — Promotion state of the category. `1` when promoted, `0` when not, and `null` when no preference has been set.
    - `season` object — Season the category belongs to.
      - `slug` string — Short URL-safe identifier for the season.
      - `link` string, uri — Canonical URL for the season resource.
      - `name` object — Map keyed by locale code (for example, `en_GB` or `fr_FR`). Keys are drawn from the languages enabled on the account. Values are the translated string.
    - `shortcode` object — Short code used to reference the category. Map keyed by locale code (for example, `en_GB` or `fr_FR`). Keys are drawn from the languages enabled on the account. Values are the translated string.
    - `slug` string — Short URL-safe identifier for the category.
    - `status` 'active' | 'inactive' — Current state of the category.
    - `updated` string, date-time — Date and time when the category was last updated.
    - `chapter_count` integer — Number of chapters the category is available in.
    - `entry_count` integer — Number of entries submitted to the category.

## Other responses

- `400` — Request was rejected before the endpoint could process it. Common causes: invalid `Accept` header, unsupported `x-api-language` code, empty request body on `POST` / `PUT`, invalid JSON in the request body, or an invalid slug format in a path parameter.
- `401` — Missing `x-api-key` header.
- `403` — Authenticated request denied. Common causes: invalid or unknown API key, suspended account, or `api` feature not enabled for the account.
- `429` — Rate limit of 60 requests per minute exceeded.
- `503` — Service is temporarily unavailable due to regional maintenance.

## Changes

- **2026-07-13** (v2) `e2511e46f9f2` — 2 breaking, 2 info
  - for the `query` request parameter `page`, the type/format was changed from `string`/`` to `number`/``
  - for the `query` request parameter `per_page`, the type/format was changed from `string`/`` to `number`/``
  - the `per_page` response's property default value `10` was added for the status `200` (media type: application/json)
  - the `per_page` response's property default value `10` was added for the status `200` (media type: application/xml)
- **2026-07-08** (v2) `a269ebb35abf` — 10 breaking
  - the response property `allOf[subschema #1: Pagination]/from` became nullable for the status `200` (media type: application/json)
  - the response property `allOf[subschema #1: Pagination]/from` became nullable for the status `200` (media type: application/xml)
  - the response property `allOf[subschema #1: Pagination]/to` became nullable for the status `200` (media type: application/json)
  - the response property `allOf[subschema #1: Pagination]/to` became nullable for the status `200` (media type: application/xml)
  - …6 more
- **2026-07-07** (v2) `9b9103538ceb` — 2 info
  - api tag `Categories` added
  - api tag `Category` removed
- …earlier changes not shown

[Full history](https://skmtc.dev/tectonic/apis/award-force-api/changes/category/get.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/tectonic/apis/award-force-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/tectonic/apis/award-force-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/tectonic/award-force-api/revisions/e2511e46f9f2/schema)