> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/emmanueljarquin-sys/GrupoMecsaCMS/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Category Management
> Organize content with hierarchical categories
## Overview
The Categories module provides a hierarchical taxonomy system for organizing content, blog posts, clients, projects, and testimonials throughout the Grupo Mecsa CMS.
## Key Features
Create parent-child relationships for nested categories
Use categories across multiple modules (content, blog, clients)
Mark categories specifically for blog posts
Full create, read, update, and delete functionality
## Category Structure
Each category includes:
* **ID**: Auto-incrementing identifier
* **Name**: Category display name
* **Parent** (`id_padre`): Optional parent category for hierarchy
* **Blog Flag** (`categoria_blog`): Boolean indicating if category is for blog posts
```json theme={null}
{
"id": 5,
"name": "Web Development",
"id_padre": 2,
"categoria_blog": false,
"created_at": "2024-01-15T10:00:00Z"
}
```
## Creating Categories
Access **Categorías** from the sidebar menu.
Click the "Crear Categoría" button.
Fill in the required fields:
* **Name**: Category display name
* **Parent Category** (optional): Select from existing categories
* **Blog Category** (checkbox): Mark if this category is for blog posts
The system will generate the next ID and create the category.
## Hierarchical Categories
Categories support unlimited nesting levels:
```php categorias.php theme={null}
function buildChildrenMap(array $items) {
$map = [];
foreach ($items as $it) {
$parent = isset($it['id_padre']) && $it['id_padre'] !== null ? $it['id_padre'] : '';
if (!isset($map[$parent])) $map[$parent] = [];
$map[$parent][] = $it;
}
// Sort alphabetically
foreach ($map as &$list) {
usort($list, function($a, $b){
return strcasecmp($a['name'] ?? '', $b['name'] ?? '');
});
}
return $map;
}
function renderOptionsRecursive($map, $parent = '', $level = 0) {
if (!isset($map[$parent])) return;
foreach ($map[$parent] as $it) {
$prefix = str_repeat(' ', $level);
echo '';
renderOptionsRecursive($map, $it['id'], $level + 1);
}
}
```
### Example Hierarchy
```
Services (id: 1)
├── Web Development (id: 2)
│ ├── Frontend (id: 5)
│ └── Backend (id: 6)
└── Design (id: 3)
├── UI/UX (id: 7)
└── Branding (id: 8)
Industries (id: 4)
├── Healthcare (id: 9)
└── Finance (id: 10)
```
## Blog Categories
Categories can be marked specifically for blog posts:
```php categorias.php theme={null}
$nuevaCategoria = [
'id' => $nuevoId,
'name' => $nombre,
'categoria_blog' => isset($_POST['categoria_blog']) ? true : false
];
```
Blog categories appear in the category dropdown when creating or editing blog posts.
## Parent Category Selection
When creating a category, you can optionally select a parent:
```php categorias.php theme={null}
if (isset($_POST['id_padre']) && $_POST['id_padre'] !== '') {
$id_padre = intval($_POST['id_padre']);
$nuevaCategoria['id_padre'] = $id_padre;
} else {
$nuevaCategoria['id_padre'] = null;
}
```
* **No parent**: Leave dropdown empty (creates root category)
* **With parent**: Select from hierarchical dropdown
## Editing Categories
Click the edit button on the category you want to modify.
Modify:
* Category name
* Parent category assignment
* Blog flag
Submit the form to update the database.
Changing a category's parent will affect the hierarchy. Verify that content using this category still makes sense after the reorganization.
## Deleting Categories
Deleting a category that has children will orphan those child categories. Consider reassigning children before deletion.
Categories used by content, blog posts, clients, or projects should not be deleted without first reassigning those items.
## Database Table
**Table Name**: `categoria-servicios`
| Column | Type | Description |
| ---------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------- |
| `id` | integer | Primary key |
| `name` | text | Category name |
| `id_padre` | integer | Parent category ID (nullable) |
| `categoria_blog` | boolean | Blog category flag |
| `created_at` | timestamptz | Creation timestamp |
## Module Integration
Categories are used by:
* **Content** (`contenido`) - Organize content items
* **Blog** (`posts`) - Classify blog posts
* **Clients** (`clientes`) - Group clients by industry/type
* **Projects** (`Proyectos`) - Categorize project types
* **Testimonials** (`testimoniales`) - Organize testimonials by category
## Pagination
```php categorias.php theme={null}
$page = intval($_GET['page'] ?? 1);
$perPage = intval($_GET['rowsPerPage'] ?? 10);
$offset = ($page - 1) * $perPage;
$res_cat_paged = supabase_request('GET',
"$table_name?select=*,categoria_blog&order=id.desc&limit=$perPage&offset=$offset"
);
```
## Best Practices
Plan your category structure before adding content. A well-organized hierarchy makes content management easier.
Use descriptive, concise names that clearly indicate the category's purpose.
Limit hierarchy depth to 3-4 levels for better usability.
Mark blog-specific categories with the blog flag to keep them separate from general content categories.
## Next Steps
Use categories in content management
Apply categories to blog posts