# Categories vs. Groups?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 11, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817 "2017-09-11T16:11:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lbahar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/lbahar)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/1 "2017-09-11T16:11:28Z")
I’m trying to figure out the best way to organize my community. It will consist of customers for each of our products (advisory councils). Right now I have them sorted by category (each of our products is a category). But some users will only be interested in one category. Is there a way to only notify them if there’s a new post in one particular category, or will they receive an email summary for any post, no matter what category? Would groups be a better route to go? And is there a way to organize and display groups on the homepage? Thanks for your help.
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/2 "2017-09-11T16:33:05Z")
- Categories are collections of topics.
- Groups are collections of Users.
- You can restrict access to categories to particular groups.
- People can watch particular categories to get notifications for that category.
If people can read a category, posts from that category can be included in the summary email that goes out periodically, depending on what the user has selected (and what the default was when their account was created).
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### Author:  [@lbahar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/lbahar)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/3 "2017-09-11T16:50:00Z")
Thank you! Where do you go to restrict access to categories to particular groups?
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### Author:  [@SidV](https://meta.discourse.org/u/SidV)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/4 "2017-09-11T17:08:30Z")
> [@lbahar](#):
>
> Where do you go to restrict access to categories to particular groups?
Check security options when you edit a category 👍
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### Author:  [@lbahar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/lbahar)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/5 "2017-09-11T18:16:03Z")
One last question: In order for a user to receive an email when a new post is created, do they need to check the “Enable mailing list mode” box on the Preferences\>Emails page? Otherwise they’ll only receive an email according to the “default email digest frequency” (weekly is what I have it set at)? If this is the case, any way to enable mailing list mode for all users, or do they each have to go into preferences and check that box? I want to make sure people are notified when there’s a new post.
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### Author:  [@SidV](https://meta.discourse.org/u/SidV)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/6 "2017-09-11T18:30:02Z")
> [@lbahar](#):
>
> One last question
Remember the title of this topic 🤔
This is not a chat. I knew you are new here, but please use the 🔍 (see on top, to the right).
If you search there, you can read about other doubts about discourse.
- [Edit a user preference for everyone or a subset of users](https://meta.discourse.org/t/edit-a-user-setting-for-all-discourse-users/25162)
- [Setting defaults to enable mailing list mode-Temporary Solution](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-defaults-to-enable-mailing-list-mode-temporary-solution/25645)
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/7 "2017-09-11T18:40:37Z")
Actually, I think Laura’s last question is on topic - understanding groups and categories is hard especially for new site admins, and email notifications are a big part of that. It’s worthwhile talking it through.. though I agree it’s true she could find answers to these questions for herself using the search.
I’ve been grappling with the categories vs group messages question myself in my community, and decided against using group messages completely except for staff. The group messaging functionality is very sparse in comparison with the categories for topics which is very functional in comparison.
Here’s a handy topic you might want to look at:
> [@Good use cases for groups (to better understand groups vs categories)](https://meta.discourse.org/t/good-use-cases-for-groups-to-better-understand-groups-vs-categories/62875):
>
> I’m trying to get my head around possible uses of groups. Or rather: good uses, because the number of possible uses is virtually infinite. My basic question here is: how do you use groups? My guess is that the most common use of groups is to use them a way of managing access to categories (and/or badges) and not much more. But with [group mentions and messages](https://meta.discourse.org/t/group-mentions-and-messages/36228) there seems to be much potential for using them to communicate too. I imagine them group messaging like a little mailing list, though not…
Also this:
> [@Better flow for group membership requests](https://meta.discourse.org/t/better-flow-for-group-membership-requests/64412/11):
>
> This is pretty cool - thanks for looking into making groups better, @tgxworld! seedling Generally, I’m still downplaying groups in my community because people continue to get confused by what it means to be watching categories (containing topics/discussions) vs joining groups (containing people/can be mentioned to alert them to topics about them or that they should respond to). That said, I’ve been experimenting with a few groups that people can join to express their affiliation (e.g. people…
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### Author:  [@lbahar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/lbahar)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/8 "2017-09-11T18:55:05Z")
Thank you, this is very helpful. I wasn’t trying to go off topic, I was just looking for help honestly. I’m in marketing (clearly not a technical person) and this has all been very confusing.
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### Author:  [@HAWK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/HAWK)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/9 "2017-09-11T19:23:21Z")
> [@lbahar](#):
>
> I was just looking for help honestly. I’m in marketing (clearly not a technical person) and this has all been very confusing.
It’s all good. 🙂 Have you got what you need for now?
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### Author:  [@scombs](https://meta.discourse.org/u/scombs)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2017, 4:17am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/10 "2017-09-12T04:17:54Z")
> [@lbahar](#):
>
> Is there a way to only notify them if there’s a new post in one particular category, or will they receive an email summary for any post, no matter what category? Would groups be a better route to go? And is there a way to organize and display groups on the homepage?
I did what you are trying to do by making the categories private and using the groups page to allow people to join different groups. I added one public category with Welcome messages to direct people to the groups page. Once they join the group, they start getting posts, notifications, emails only for the applicable categories based on the setting for those categories.
It might be a little easier if there were public/hidden/private categories. Currently there are only public/hidden, but the group thing works. You can see it at [https://community.talkbaq.org/](https://community.talkbaq.org/)
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### Author:  [@lbahar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/lbahar)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/11 "2017-09-12T19:47:46Z")
Thanks! That’s exactly what I’ve decided to do.
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### Author:  [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/12 "2019-09-25T05:29:55Z")
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/13 "2023-04-29T12:51:38Z")
5 posts were split to a new topic: [Setting up a subscription group](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-up-a-subscription-group/263247)
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/categories-vs-groups/69817/14 "2023-04-29T12:51:54Z")