Categories & Tags in PolyCMS
Last updated on May 15, 2026 11:19 PM
Categories
Categories provide hierarchical organization for blog posts. PolyCMS supports unlimited nesting depth, allowing you to create detailed content taxonomies.
Creating a Category
Navigate to Blog > Categories and click Add Category:
- Name — Display name for the category (e.g., "Web Development").
- Slug — URL-friendly identifier, auto-generated from name. Customizable.
- Parent Category — Select a parent to create nested hierarchies.
- Description — Optional text displayed on category archive pages. Also useful for SEO.
Hierarchical Structure
Categories support multi-level nesting:
Technology
├── Web Development
│ ├── Frontend
│ └── Backend
├── Mobile Apps
└── DevOps
Each level generates its own archive page with a clean URL structure based on your permalink settings.
Category Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Unlimited Depth | Nest categories as deep as needed |
| Custom Slug | Override auto-generated URLs |
| Description | SEO-friendly text for archive pages |
| Post Count | Shows number of posts in each category |
| Bulk Assignment | Assign multiple categories to a single post |
Tags
Tags provide flat, non-hierarchical labeling for posts. Use tags for specific topics that cut across categories.
Creating Tags
Navigate to Blog > Tags or add tags directly in the post editor:
- Name — Tag display name (e.g., "PHP", "Tutorial", "API").
- Slug — URL-friendly identifier.
- Auto-completion — When typing in the post editor, existing tags are suggested for quick selection.
Tags vs Categories
| Aspect | Categories | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| Hierarchy | Multi-level nesting | Flat (no nesting) |
| Required | At least one per post recommended | Optional |
| Scope | Broad topic groups | Specific keywords |
| URL Structure | /category/web-development/ | /tag/php/ |
| Archive Pages | Yes | Yes |
Assigning to Posts
When editing a post, the sidebar provides:
- Category Selector — Checkbox tree showing all categories with nesting indicators. Select one or more.
- Tag Input — Text field with auto-completion. Type to search existing tags or create new ones inline.
SEO Considerations
Both categories and tags generate archive pages that are:
- Indexed by search engines
- Included in XML Sitemap (when the plugin is active)
- Configurable via Permalink Settings for base URL customization
Managing Taxonomies
The category and tag listing pages show:
- Name with nesting indicators (for categories)
- Slug and URL preview
- Post count per taxonomy
- Edit and delete actions
- Bulk delete for unused taxonomies
Related Documentation
- Managing Posts — Assign categories and tags when creating posts.
- Permalink Settings — Configure category and tag URL bases.
- SEO Configuration — Optimize taxonomy archive pages.