Setting type to one of the following values adds a preset note as to which type of template the category (but not necessarily its subcategories) is meant to contain. The values are:
ambox
campaignbox
conversion
external link
formatting
function
message
meta
navbox
navigation
sidebar
stub
sub
timeline
userbox
If type is set to something other than one of these values, the default "The pages listed in this category are templates" note appears unmodified.
type alone
{{Template category |type=sidebar}}
The pages listed in this category are meant to be sidebar templates.
Use this if a customised description is needed instead of – or, if topic also used, to follow – the default description above.
type, topic, description
{{Template category
| type = navbox
| topic = [[China]]
| description = <br />{{small|For templates relating specifically to the [[People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China (PRC)]] or the current [[Republic of China|Republic of China (ROC, "Taiwan")]], see, respectively, {{c|People's Republic of China templates}} and {{c|Republic of China (Taiwan) templates}}.}}
}}
Use this to place right-aligned boxes beside the template such as {{Portal}} (to provide link/s to related portal/s), {{Commons category}} (to provide a link to the same or a similarly-named Commons category), etc. If more than one box is included, ensure the widest one appears first (see example below) otherwise overlapping may occur.
topic, onright
{{Template category
| topic = the [[United States]]
| onright = {{Commons category|United States|the United States}}{{Portal|United States}}
}}
Set container as {{"true", "yes", etc}} to identify the category as a container category, i.e. a category meant to contain only subcategories. A note requesting that no templates are added to the template category is then included.
{{Container category}} following {{Template category}}
{{Template category
| type = ''type''
| topic = ''[[topic]]''
| description = This text supplied by the ''description'' parameter.
}}
{{Container category}}
Templates relating to topic. This text supplied by the description parameter.
The pages listed in this category are meant to be type templates.
Use this to replace the default instructions as to how to add a template to the category ("Further template category notes" section) or, if set negatively, to remove them.