What is the Category Widget and How to Add It

In simpler terms, a Category Widget is like a table of contents for your blog. It displays a list of all the different categories you’ve used to organize your blog posts. This helps your readers easily navigate through your content and find articles that interest them. When you visit a website, especially a blog, you often see categories like “News,” “Tutorials,” or “Reviews” displayed in the sidebar or footer.  Categories are used to organize your content into different groups or topics, making it easier for users to find posts related to specific subjects.

The Category Widget in WordPress allows you to display a list of your site’s categories, helping visitors navigate through your content more easily.

The Category Widget shows:

• A list of all categories on your site.
• The number of posts in each category (optional).
• A link to each category, which visitors can click to view all posts within that category.

This widget is usually added to your site’s sidebar, footer, or any other widgetized areas, allowing visitors to easily navigate through your content based on topics of interest.

How to Add the Category Widget to Your WordPress Website

Adding the Category Widget to your WordPress website is a simple process. Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Log into Your WordPress Dashboard

1. Open your browser and go to the login page of your WordPress site.
2. Enter your username and password to log in to the WordPress Dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to the Widgets Section

1. On the left sidebar of the dashboard, go to Appearance and click on Widgets.

   This will open the Widgets page, where you can add, remove, and organize widgets on your site.

Step 3: Locate the Category Widget

1. On the left side of the Widgets page, you’ll see a list of available widgets.
2. Look for the Categories widget. This is the default WordPress widget that will show your website’s categories.

Step 4: Add the Category Widget to a Widgetized Area

1. On the right side, you will see different areas where you can add widgets, such as the Sidebar or Footer.
2. To add the Category widget, drag it from the left side and drop it into your desired widgetized area.

   Alternatively, you can click on the Categories widget, then select a widgetized area from the dropdown and click Add Widget.

Step 5: Configure the Category Widget Settings

Once you’ve added the widget to a widgetized area, you can configure it:

1. Title: You can add a title to the widget, such as “Browse Categories” or “Categories.” This title will appear above the list of categories.
2. Display Post Count: You can choose whether to show the number of posts in each category next to the category name. This is optional.
3. Show Hierarchical List: If you have subcategories, you can choose to display them in a nested, hierarchical list. This will show categories and their subcategories in a dropdown style or indented list.

After configuring the widget settings, click Save to apply the changes.

Step 6: View the Category Widget on Your Site

1. Go to the front end of your website (the public side).
2. Navigate to the area where you added the widget (such as the sidebar or footer).
3. You should now see a list of categories on your site, and visitors can click on any category to view posts related to that topic.