---
title: "Categories"
description: "List one level of Walmart's category tree, and turn a category id into one Browse accepts."
---

> Every apinoa docs page as markdown: https://apinoa.com/llms.txt (all in one file: https://apinoa.com/llms-full.txt; this API family in one file: https://apinoa.com/docs/marketplace/llms.txt)

```http
GET | POST /v1/walmart/categories
```

Send parameters as a query string with `GET`, or as a JSON body with `POST`. Both are equivalent.

## Request

```bash tab="cURL"
curl "https://gateway.apinoa.com/v1/walmart/categories" \
  -H "x-api-key: $APINOA_API_KEY"
```

```js tab="JavaScript"
const res = await fetch("https://gateway.apinoa.com/v1/walmart/categories", {
  headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.APINOA_API_KEY },
});
const { success, data, error } = await res.json();
```

```python tab="Python"
import os

import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://gateway.apinoa.com/v1/walmart/categories",
    headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["APINOA_API_KEY"]},
)
body = res.json()
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| `categoryId` | string |  | Omit for the 42 departments; give a bare department id (`4171`) or an underscore chain to list that category's children. Unlike `browse`, a bare id is accepted here — descending from one is how a client reaches the chains `browse` takes. |
| `region` | string |  | Buyer country as ISO 3166-1 alpha-2; sets availability, shipping and price. |

The same parameters, and every response type, are in the OpenAPI document: https://apinoa.com/openapi.json

## Response

Returns [`CategoryList`](/docs/api-reference/marketplaces/response-schema#categorylist) in `data`. A real response, shortened: arrays keep their first entries and long text is cut.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "marketplace": "walmart",
    "path": [],
    "categories": [
      {
        "id": "1334134",
        "name": "Arts Crafts & Sewing",
        "browsable": true
      },
      {
        "id": "91083",
        "name": "Auto & Tires",
        "browsable": false
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

## Errors

| Status | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | `INVALID_PARAMS` | A parameter is missing, unknown or out of range. The message names it. |
| 401 | `UNAUTHORIZED` | The `x-api-key` header is missing, or the key is revoked or unknown. |
| 402 | `INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE` | The balance does not cover this call. Top up in the dashboard. |
| 429 | `MARKETPLACE_SATURATED` | Too many concurrent calls. Retry after the `Retry-After` seconds. |
| 502 | `UPSTREAM_ERROR` | The platform answered with something unusable. Retry with backoff. |

Every code is listed in [Errors](/docs/errors). Failed calls are not billed.

## Pricing

**Price** $0.001 per call, plus $0.001 for each extra call it makes — at most 1 more, so $0.002 in total. [List price](https://apinoa.com/en/pricing); the rate steps down above 1,000 calls a day.

## Notes

- **Omit `categoryId` for the 42 departments.** Pass one to list its children.
- **Children come back as chains** (`4171_4186`), which Search and Browse both accept. A bare department id (`4171`) works in both too: Browse lists every product in the department.
- **Departments do not report `browsable`.** Every department can be browsed; its children narrow the listing.