POST /api/categories/seed Create a predefined set of default categories for the authenticated user. This is useful for new users to get started quickly with common expense and income categories.
Authentication This endpoint requires a valid JWT token in the Authorization header.
Authorization: Bearer < toke n >
Request Body No request body required. The endpoint creates a predefined set of categories.
Response Returns an array of created categories.
Array of created category objects Whether this is a fixed expense
Parent category ID for hierarchical categories
Example Request curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/categories/seed \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json"
const response = await fetch ( 'http://localhost:3000/api/categories/seed' , { method: 'POST' , headers: { 'Authorization' : `Bearer ${ token } ` , 'Content-Type' : 'application/json' } }); const categories = await response . json ();
Example Response [ { "id" : "uuid-1" , "name" : "Salary" , "type" : "INCOME" , "isFixed" : false , "color" : "#10B981" , "icon" : "wallet" , "parentId" : null , "userId" : "user-uuid" , "createdAt" : "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z" }, { "id" : "uuid-2" , "name" : "Housing" , "type" : "EXPENSE" , "isFixed" : true , "color" : "#EF4444" , "icon" : "home" , "parentId" : null , "userId" : "user-uuid" , "createdAt" : "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z" }, { "id" : "uuid-3" , "name" : "Rent" , "type" : "EXPENSE" , "isFixed" : true , "color" : "#EF4444" , "icon" : "key" , "parentId" : "uuid-2" , "userId" : "user-uuid" , "createdAt" : "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z" }, { "id" : "uuid-4" , "name" : "Food & Dining" , "type" : "EXPENSE" , "isFixed" : false , "color" : "#F59E0B" , "icon" : "utensils" , "parentId" : null , "userId" : "user-uuid" , "createdAt" : "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z" }, { "id" : "uuid-5" , "name" : "Transportation" , "type" : "EXPENSE" , "isFixed" : false , "color" : "#6366F1" , "icon" : "car" , "parentId" : null , "userId" : "user-uuid" , "createdAt" : "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z" } ]
Default Categories Created The seed endpoint creates the following default category structure:
Income Categories
Salary - Regular employment incomeFreelance - Self-employment incomeInvestments - Dividends and capital gainsOther Income - Miscellaneous income
Expense Categories
Housing (Fixed)
Rent
Utilities
Maintenance
Food & Dining (Variable)
Transportation (Variable)
Public Transit
Fuel
Vehicle Maintenance
Entertainment (Variable)Healthcare (Variable)Shopping (Variable)Bills (Fixed)
The exact categories created may vary based on the implementation in the source code. Check the categories.service.ts seed method for the current list.
Error Responses
400 - Categories Already Exist
{ "statusCode" : 400 , "message" : "User already has categories. Use POST /categories to create custom categories." }
{ "statusCode" : 401 , "message" : "Unauthorized" }
When to Use
New User Onboarding Automatically set up categories for new users during registration
Quick Start Help users start tracking expenses immediately without manual setup
Call this endpoint once after user registration to provide a complete starting point. Users can then customize, add, or remove categories as needed.
Create Category Create custom categories
List Categories View all categories
