---
title: "Business category model"
description: "Learn more about Business category model in this Ordering API guide for developers integrating the platform."
canonical: https://docs.ordering.co/api-reference/guides/categories-model/
---

# Business category model

The `Category` resource organizes products inside a business.

## Core operations

| Action | Method   | Resource                                           |
| ------ | -------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| List   | `GET`    | `/business/{business_id}/categories`               |
| Find   | `GET`    | `/business/{business_id}/categories/{category_id}` |
| Create | `POST`   | `/business/{business_id}/categories`               |
| Update | `POST`   | `/business/{business_id}/categories/{category_id}` |
| Delete | `DELETE` | `/business/{business_id}/categories/{category_id}` |

Reads are public in the operation contract. Create, update, and delete require administrator or business-manager authentication; manager actions are limited by business ownership checks.

## Representative fields

Common category fields include `id`, `business_id`, `name`, `description`, `image`, `header`, `rank`, `enabled`, `external_id`, `parent_category_id`, `slug`, `snooze_until`, and SEO fields. Field availability and requirements vary by operation, so consult the operation-specific documentation.

`parent_category_id` links a category to another category in the same business. Parent validation limits a category chain to five levels and rejects invalid or deeper parents. Category reads can return nested `subcategories`; the exact response depends on operation, query values, and project configuration.

Use `params=products` only where documented to include products with categories. See [Category product expansion](https://docs.ordering.co/api-reference/guides/category-special-request/) and [Business product model](https://docs.ordering.co/api-reference/guides/product-model/).