---
title: "Get Specific Category"
url: "https://help.productfruits.com/en/article/knowledge-base-api-get-specific-category"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-12-22T12:35:38.774Z"
---

# Get Specific Category

## GET /categories/{correlationId} - Get Specific Category

Retrieve detailed information about a specific category by its correlation ID. This endpoint returns the category's properties and content in all available languages.

## Endpoint

```
GET /v1/knowledgebase/categories/{correlationId}
```

## Request Headers

| Header | Value | Required |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `Authorization` | `Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN` | Yes |

## Path Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `correlationId` | `string` | Yes | The correlation ID of the category. Can be custom ID or internal ID prefixed with 'pf\_' |

### Correlation ID Format

-   **Custom IDs**: Use your own correlation ID as provided during import (e.g., `"docs-category"`)
-   **Internal IDs**: Use internal database ID prefixed with `"pf_"` (e.g., `"pf_123"`)

## Response Format

### Success Response (200 OK)

```json
{
  "id": 123,
  "correlationId": "docs-category",
  "parentCategoryId": null,
  "order": 1,
  "isFeatured": true,
  "icon": "image-guid-123",
  "contents": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "title": "Documentation",
      "description": "All documentation and guides",
      "slug": "docs",
      "slug_state": "manual"
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "title": "Documentación",
      "description": "Toda la documentación y guías",
      "slug": "documentacion",
      "slug_state": "auto"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Response Fields

| Field | Type | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | `number` | Internal database ID of the category | `123` |
| `correlationId` | `string` | Custom correlation ID (if set) | `"docs-category"` |
| `parentCategoryId` | `number` | Parent category ID (null for root categories) | `null` |
| `order` | `number` | Display order within parent category | `1` |
| `isFeatured` | `boolean` | Whether category is featured | `true` |
| `icon` | `string` | Category icon (CDN image GUID) | `"image-guid-123"` |
| `contents` | `array` | Category content in different languages | See Content Object below |

#### Content Object (`contents[]`)

| Field | Type | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `lang` | `string` | Language code (ISO 639-1) | `"en"` |
| `title` | `string` | Category title | `"Documentation"` |
| `description` | `string` | Category description | `"All documentation and guides"` |
| `slug` | `string` | URL slug | `"docs"` |
| `slug_state` | `string` | Slug generation mode: "auto" or "manual" | `"manual"` |

## Examples

### Example 1: Get Category by Custom Correlation ID

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.productfruits.com/v1/knowledgebase/categories/docs-category" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"
```

**Response:**

```json
{
  "id": 123,
  "correlationId": "docs-category",
  "parentCategoryId": null,
  "order": 1,
  "isFeatured": true,
  "icon": "image-guid-123",
  "contents": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "title": "Documentation",
      "description": "Complete documentation and guides",
      "slug": "docs",
      "slug_state": "manual"
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "title": "Documentación",
      "description": "Documentación completa y guías",
      "slug": "documentacion",
      "slug_state": "auto"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Example 2: Get Category by Internal ID

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.productfruits.com/v1/knowledgebase/categories/pf_123" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"
```

**Response:**

```json
{
  "id": 123,
  "correlationId": "docs-category",
  "parentCategoryId": null,
  "order": 1,
  "isFeatured": true,
  "icon": "image-guid-123",
  "contents": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "title": "Documentation",
      "description": "Complete documentation and guides",
      "slug": "docs",
      "slug_state": "manual"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Example 3: Error Handling Example

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.productfruits.com/v1/knowledgebase/categories/non-existent-category" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"
```

**Response (404 Not Found):**

```json
{
  "error": "Category with correlation ID 'non-existent-category' not found"
}
```

## Common Use Cases

### Category Validation

Verify that a specific category exists before performing operations:

-   Check category properties before updates
-   Validate correlation IDs before referencing in article imports
-   Confirm category hierarchy relationships

### Content Localization Planning

Review category content across languages:

-   Identify missing translations for specific categories
-   Check slug consistency across languages
-   Plan localization efforts for category content

### Integration Synchronization

Synchronize category data with external systems:

-   Retrieve current category state for comparison
-   Validate category properties after imports
-   Maintain consistency between systems

### Hierarchy Analysis

Understand category relationships and structure:

-   Check parent-child relationships
-   Verify category ordering within hierarchies
-   Analyze featured category status

## Best Practices

-   **Validate Before Operations**: Check category exists before referencing in other operations
-   **Handle Missing Categories**: Implement proper error handling for non-existent categories
-   **Cache Category Data**: Store frequently accessed category information locally
-   **Monitor Changes**: Use this endpoint to detect changes in category structure
-   **Verify Correlation IDs**: Confirm correlation ID format and existence before API calls

## Common Error Scenarios

### Category Not Found

**Cause**: Using incorrect correlation ID or category doesn't exist  
**Solution**: Verify correlation ID using `GET /categories` endpoint first

### Invalid Correlation ID Format

**Cause**: Malformed correlation ID or incorrect internal ID prefix  
**Solution**: Use proper format (custom ID or "pf\_" + internal ID)

### Authentication Issues

**Cause**: Invalid or expired API token  
**Solution**: Regenerate API token and update authorization header

### Permission Issues

**Cause**: API token lacks category read permissions  
**Solution**: Check API token permissions and user roles

### Error Response Examples

#### 400 Bad Request - Missing Correlation ID

```json
{
  "error": "Correlation ID is required"
}
```

#### 401 Unauthorized

```json
{
  "error": "Authentication required or invalid API token"
}
```

#### 404 Not Found

```json
{
  "error": "Category with correlation ID 'invalid-id' not found"
}
```

#### 500 Internal Server Error

```json
{
  "error": "Internal server error occurred while retrieving category"
}
```

## Rate Limiting

For detailed information about API limits and optimization strategies, please refer to this [guide](https://https//help.productfruits.com/en/article/rest-api-rate-limiting).