diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2bdffaf..9812144 100755
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ coverage/
 playwright-report/
 test-results/
 .env
+.superpowers/
diff --git a/backend/migrations/1786974336000_add-categories-and-tags.js b/backend/migrations/1786974336000_add-categories-and-tags.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3684c3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/migrations/1786974336000_add-categories-and-tags.js
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+exports.up = (pgm) => {
+  pgm.sql(`
+    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS categories (
+      id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+      name TEXT NOT NULL,
+      parent_id INTEGER REFERENCES categories(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+      sort_order INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+      created_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
+    );
+
+    -- Siblings can't share a name. Two partial indexes rather than one plain
+    -- unique constraint, because a NULL parent_id (a root category) compares
+    -- unequal to every other NULL and would let duplicate roots straight in.
+    CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS categories_child_name_uniq
+      ON categories (parent_id, lower(name)) WHERE parent_id IS NOT NULL;
+    CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS categories_root_name_uniq
+      ON categories (lower(name)) WHERE parent_id IS NULL;
+
+    CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS categories_parent_id_idx ON categories (parent_id);
+
+    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tags (
+      id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+      name TEXT NOT NULL,
+      color TEXT NOT NULL,
+      created_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
+    );
+
+    CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tags_name_uniq ON tags (lower(name));
+
+    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS item_tags (
+      item_id INTEGER NOT NULL REFERENCES items(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+      tag_id INTEGER NOT NULL REFERENCES tags(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+      PRIMARY KEY (item_id, tag_id)
+    );
+
+    -- The item_id half is covered by the primary key; filtering by tag needs
+    -- the other direction.
+    CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS item_tags_tag_id_idx ON item_tags (tag_id);
+
+    -- Deleting a category leaves its items in place and merely uncategorized,
+    -- rather than taking inventory down with it.
+    ALTER TABLE items ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS category_id INTEGER
+      REFERENCES categories(id) ON DELETE SET NULL;
+
+    CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS items_category_id_idx ON items (category_id);
+  `);
+};
+
+// Unlike the baseline migration, this one is safe to reverse: it drops only
+// what it created. Item rows themselves are untouched — they just lose their
+// category assignment along with the column.
+exports.down = (pgm) => {
+  pgm.sql(`
+    DROP INDEX IF EXISTS items_category_id_idx;
+    ALTER TABLE items DROP COLUMN IF EXISTS category_id;
+    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS item_tags;
+    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS tags;
+    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS categories;
+  `);
+};
diff --git a/backend/src/app.ts b/backend/src/app.ts
index e0a4df0..7d3b533 100755
--- a/backend/src/app.ts
+++ b/backend/src/app.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ import { router as cartCheckoutRouter, webhookRouter as cartCheckoutWebhookRoute
 import adminRouter from './routes/admin';
 import adminCustomersRouter from './routes/adminCustomers';
 import adminSettingsRouter from './routes/adminSettings';
+import adminCategoriesRouter from './routes/adminCategories';
+import adminTagsRouter from './routes/adminTags';
+import filtersRouter from './routes/filters';
 import customersRouter from './routes/customers';
 import publicRouter from './routes/public';
 import cartRouter from './routes/cart';
@@ -35,10 +38,13 @@ app.get('/api/config', (_req, res) => {
 });
 
 app.use('/api/items', itemsRouter);
+app.use('/api/filters', filtersRouter);
 app.use('/api/cart', cartRouter);
 app.use('/api/checkout/cart', cartCheckoutRouter);
 app.use('/api/admin/customers', adminCustomersRouter);
 app.use('/api/admin/settings', adminSettingsRouter);
+app.use('/api/admin/categories', adminCategoriesRouter);
+app.use('/api/admin/tags', adminTagsRouter);
 app.use('/api/admin', adminRouter);
 app.use('/api/customers/me/addresses', shippingAddressesRouter);
 app.use('/api/customers', customersRouter);
diff --git a/backend/src/itemFilters.ts b/backend/src/itemFilters.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a075fac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/itemFilters.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+// Parsing and SQL construction for the storefront's category / tag / price
+// filters. Kept apart from the route so the rules can be unit-tested without a
+// database, and so items.ts stays a thin handler.
+
+export class FilterError extends Error {}
+
+export interface ItemFilters {
+  categoryId: number | null;
+  tagIds: number[];
+  minPriceCents: number | null;
+  maxPriceCents: number | null;
+}
+
+export interface BuiltFilter {
+  clauses: string[];
+  params: unknown[];
+}
+
+// Deliberately excludes a leading sign and any decimal point: every filter
+// value is a non-negative integer (an id, or a price in cents), so '-1' and
+// '10.5' are caller mistakes worth surfacing rather than silently coercing.
+const NON_NEGATIVE_INTEGER = /^\d+$/;
+
+function singleValue(value: unknown, name: string): string | null {
+  if (value === undefined || value === null) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  // Express parses `?category=1&category=2` into an array. Picking one silently
+  // would make a malformed link look like it worked, so refuse it instead.
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+    throw new FilterError(`${name} may only be given once`);
+  }
+  if (typeof value !== 'string') {
+    throw new FilterError(`invalid ${name}`);
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
+function parseNonNegativeInteger(raw: string, name: string): number {
+  if (!NON_NEGATIVE_INTEGER.test(raw)) {
+    throw new FilterError(`invalid ${name}`);
+  }
+  const parsed = Number(raw);
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(parsed)) {
+    throw new FilterError(`invalid ${name}`);
+  }
+  return parsed;
+}
+
+function parseId(raw: string, name: string): number {
+  const parsed = parseNonNegativeInteger(raw, name);
+  if (parsed < 1) {
+    throw new FilterError(`invalid ${name}`);
+  }
+  return parsed;
+}
+
+function parsePrice(value: unknown, name: string): number | null {
+  const raw = singleValue(value, name);
+  if (raw === null || raw === '') {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return parseNonNegativeInteger(raw, name);
+}
+
+export function parseItemFilters(query: Record<string, unknown>): ItemFilters {
+  const categoryRaw = singleValue(query.category, 'category');
+  const categoryId = categoryRaw === null || categoryRaw === '' ? null : parseId(categoryRaw, 'category');
+
+  const tagsRaw = singleValue(query.tags, 'tags');
+  const tagIds: number[] = [];
+  if (tagsRaw) {
+    for (const part of tagsRaw.split(',')) {
+      const trimmed = part.trim();
+      if (trimmed === '') {
+        continue;
+      }
+      const id = parseId(trimmed, 'tags');
+      // Duplicates would inflate the required-match count below and make the
+      // filter match nothing at all.
+      if (!tagIds.includes(id)) {
+        tagIds.push(id);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const minPriceCents = parsePrice(query.min_price, 'min_price');
+  const maxPriceCents = parsePrice(query.max_price, 'max_price');
+  if (minPriceCents !== null && maxPriceCents !== null && minPriceCents > maxPriceCents) {
+    throw new FilterError('min_price may not exceed max_price');
+  }
+
+  return { categoryId, tagIds, minPriceCents, maxPriceCents };
+}
+
+// Returns WHERE fragments plus their parameters, with placeholders numbered
+// from `startIndex` so the caller can splice these in after its own params.
+export function buildItemFilterSql(filters: ItemFilters, startIndex: number): BuiltFilter {
+  const clauses: string[] = [];
+  const params: unknown[] = [];
+  let next = startIndex;
+
+  if (filters.categoryId !== null) {
+    params.push(filters.categoryId);
+    // Selecting a category means "and everything filed beneath it", so walk the
+    // tree down from the chosen node. A recursive CTE keeps the tree
+    // un-denormalized: reparenting stays a single UPDATE with no stored paths
+    // to rewrite.
+    clauses.push(`i.category_id IN (
+      WITH RECURSIVE subtree AS (
+        SELECT id FROM categories WHERE id = $${next}
+        UNION ALL
+        SELECT c.id FROM categories c JOIN subtree s ON c.parent_id = s.id
+      )
+      SELECT id FROM subtree
+    )`);
+    next++;
+  }
+
+  if (filters.tagIds.length) {
+    params.push(filters.tagIds, filters.tagIds.length);
+    // AND, not OR: the item must carry every selected tag. Matching with
+    // `tag_id = ANY(...)` alone would return items holding just one of them, so
+    // the count of matched rows has to equal the number requested.
+    clauses.push(
+      `(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM item_tags it
+        WHERE it.item_id = i.id AND it.tag_id = ANY($${next}::int[])) = $${next + 1}`
+    );
+    next += 2;
+  }
+
+  if (filters.minPriceCents !== null) {
+    params.push(filters.minPriceCents);
+    clauses.push(`i.price_cents >= $${next}`);
+    next++;
+  }
+
+  if (filters.maxPriceCents !== null) {
+    params.push(filters.maxPriceCents);
+    clauses.push(`i.price_cents <= $${next}`);
+    next++;
+  }
+
+  return { clauses, params };
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/itemSelect.ts b/backend/src/itemSelect.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b490ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/itemSelect.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// Shared item SELECT shapes for the public and admin routes.
+//
+// Images and tags are pulled as scalar subqueries rather than LEFT JOIN +
+// GROUP BY. Joining two one-to-many relations in the same query multiplies
+// their rows together — an item with 2 images and 3 tags would aggregate 6
+// rows, silently repeating every image three times. Subqueries keep each
+// aggregate independent and drop the GROUP BY entirely.
+
+const IMAGES_SUBQUERY = `
+  COALESCE((
+    SELECT json_agg(json_build_object('id', img.id, 'image_path', img.image_path, 'sort_order', img.sort_order)
+                    ORDER BY img.sort_order)
+    FROM item_images img
+    WHERE img.item_id = i.id
+  ), '[]') AS images`;
+
+const TAGS_SUBQUERY = `
+  COALESCE((
+    SELECT json_agg(json_build_object('id', t.id, 'name', t.name, 'color', t.color) ORDER BY t.name)
+    FROM item_tags it
+    JOIN tags t ON t.id = it.tag_id
+    WHERE it.item_id = i.id
+  ), '[]') AS tags`;
+
+const FROM_CLAUSE = `
+  FROM items i
+  LEFT JOIN categories c ON c.id = i.category_id`;
+
+// The storefront gets an explicit column list — it has no business seeing
+// paypal_order_id or reserved_until.
+export const PUBLIC_ITEM_SELECT = `
+  SELECT i.id, i.name, i.description, i.price_cents, i.status, i.created_at, i.category_id,
+    c.name AS category_name,
+    ${IMAGES_SUBQUERY},
+    ${TAGS_SUBQUERY}
+  ${FROM_CLAUSE}`;
+
+export const ADMIN_ITEM_SELECT = `
+  SELECT i.*,
+    c.name AS category_name,
+    ${IMAGES_SUBQUERY},
+    ${TAGS_SUBQUERY}
+  ${FROM_CLAUSE}`;
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/admin.ts b/backend/src/routes/admin.ts
index b542586..90488d6 100755
--- a/backend/src/routes/admin.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/admin.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import { Router, Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import multer from 'multer';
 import path from 'path';
 import { randomUUID } from 'crypto';
+import { PoolClient } from 'pg';
 import { pool } from '../db';
+import { ADMIN_ITEM_SELECT } from '../itemSelect';
+import { tagColorFor } from '../utils';
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -52,31 +55,86 @@ const uploadImages = (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
   });
 };
 
-const SELECT_WITH_IMAGES = `
-  SELECT i.*,
-    COALESCE(
-      json_agg(json_build_object('id', img.id, 'image_path', img.image_path, 'sort_order', img.sort_order)
-        ORDER BY img.sort_order) FILTER (WHERE img.id IS NOT NULL),
-      '[]'
-    ) AS images
-  FROM items i
-  LEFT JOIN item_images img ON img.item_id = i.id
-`;
+// The multipart body carries category_id and tags as text fields. An absent
+// field means "leave as-is" on update, which is why these return undefined
+// rather than null for a missing value.
+function readCategoryId(value: unknown): number | null | undefined {
+  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
+  if (value === null || value === '') return null;
+  const parsed = Number(value);
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(parsed) || parsed < 1) return undefined;
+  return parsed;
+}
+
+function readTagNames(value: unknown): string[] | undefined {
+  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
+  if (typeof value !== 'string' || value.trim() === '') return [];
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(value);
+    if (!Array.isArray(parsed)) return undefined;
+    return parsed.filter((name): name is string => typeof name === 'string');
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
+// Tags typed into the item form may not exist yet. Look each name up
+// case-insensitively — matching the unique index — and create the missing ones
+// inside the caller's transaction so a later failure rolls them back too.
+async function resolveTagIds(client: PoolClient, names: string[]): Promise<number[]> {
+  const ids: number[] = [];
+  for (const raw of names) {
+    const name = raw.trim();
+    if (!name) continue;
+
+    const existing = await client.query(`SELECT id FROM tags WHERE lower(name) = lower($1)`, [name]);
+    if (existing.rows.length) {
+      if (!ids.includes(existing.rows[0].id)) ids.push(existing.rows[0].id);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const inserted = await client.query(
+      `INSERT INTO tags (name, color) VALUES ($1, $2) RETURNING id`,
+      [name, tagColorFor(name)]
+    );
+    ids.push(inserted.rows[0].id);
+  }
+  return ids;
+}
+
+// Tags are replaced wholesale rather than merged — the form submits the full
+// set it wants, so removing a chip has to actually remove the row.
+async function setItemTags(client: PoolClient, itemId: number, tagIds: number[]): Promise<void> {
+  await client.query(`DELETE FROM item_tags WHERE item_id = $1`, [itemId]);
+  for (const tagId of tagIds) {
+    await client.query(`INSERT INTO item_tags (item_id, tag_id) VALUES ($1, $2)`, [itemId, tagId]);
+  }
+}
 
 router.get('/items', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
-  const { rows } = await pool.query(`${SELECT_WITH_IMAGES} GROUP BY i.id ORDER BY i.created_at DESC`);
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(`${ADMIN_ITEM_SELECT} ORDER BY i.created_at DESC`);
   res.json(rows);
 });
 
 router.post('/items', uploadImages, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   const { name, description, price } = req.body;
+
+  const categoryId = readCategoryId(req.body.category_id);
+  if (categoryId === undefined && req.body.category_id !== undefined) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid category_id' });
+  }
+  const tagNames = readTagNames(req.body.tags);
+  if (tagNames === undefined && req.body.tags !== undefined) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid tags' });
+  }
+
   const files = (req.files as Express.Multer.File[]) || [];
   const client = await pool.connect();
   try {
     await client.query('BEGIN');
     const { rows } = await client.query(
-      `INSERT INTO items (name, description, price_cents) VALUES ($1, $2, $3) RETURNING *`,
-      [name, description, Math.round(parseFloat(price) * 100)]
+      `INSERT INTO items (name, description, price_cents, category_id) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4) RETURNING *`,
+      [name, description, Math.round(parseFloat(price) * 100), categoryId ?? null]
     );
     const item = rows[0];
     for (let i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
@@ -85,8 +143,11 @@ router.post('/items', uploadImages, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
         [item.id, `/uploads/${files[i].filename}`, i]
       );
     }
+    if (tagNames) {
+      await setItemTags(client, item.id, await resolveTagIds(client, tagNames));
+    }
     await client.query('COMMIT');
-    const { rows: full } = await pool.query(`${SELECT_WITH_IMAGES} WHERE i.id = $1 GROUP BY i.id`, [item.id]);
+    const { rows: full } = await pool.query(`${ADMIN_ITEM_SELECT} WHERE i.id = $1`, [item.id]);
     res.json(full[0]);
   } catch (err) {
     await client.query('ROLLBACK');
@@ -99,6 +160,16 @@ router.post('/items', uploadImages, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
 
 router.put('/items/:id', uploadImages, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   const { name, description, price } = req.body;
+
+  const categoryId = readCategoryId(req.body.category_id);
+  if (categoryId === undefined && req.body.category_id !== undefined) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid category_id' });
+  }
+  const tagNames = readTagNames(req.body.tags);
+  if (tagNames === undefined && req.body.tags !== undefined) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid tags' });
+  }
+
   const files = (req.files as Express.Multer.File[]) || [];
   const client = await pool.connect();
   try {
@@ -107,6 +178,14 @@ router.put('/items/:id', uploadImages, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
       `UPDATE items SET name=$1, description=$2, price_cents=$3 WHERE id=$4`,
       [name, description, Math.round(parseFloat(price) * 100), req.params.id]
     );
+    // Only touch the category when the field was actually submitted, so a
+    // caller that omits it doesn't silently uncategorize the item.
+    if (categoryId !== undefined) {
+      await client.query(`UPDATE items SET category_id=$1 WHERE id=$2`, [categoryId, req.params.id]);
+    }
+    if (tagNames) {
+      await setItemTags(client, Number(req.params.id), await resolveTagIds(client, tagNames));
+    }
     if (files.length) {
       const { rows: existing } = await client.query(
         `SELECT COALESCE(MAX(sort_order), -1) AS max_sort FROM item_images WHERE item_id = $1`,
@@ -121,7 +200,7 @@ router.put('/items/:id', uploadImages, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
       }
     }
     await client.query('COMMIT');
-    const { rows: full } = await pool.query(`${SELECT_WITH_IMAGES} WHERE i.id = $1 GROUP BY i.id`, [req.params.id]);
+    const { rows: full } = await pool.query(`${ADMIN_ITEM_SELECT} WHERE i.id = $1`, [req.params.id]);
     res.json(full[0]);
   } catch (err) {
     await client.query('ROLLBACK');
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/adminCategories.ts b/backend/src/routes/adminCategories.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca8c75d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/routes/adminCategories.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+import { Router, Request, Response } from 'express';
+import { pool } from '../db';
+
+const router = Router();
+
+// Postgres unique-violation SQLSTATE — raised by the two partial indexes that
+// stop siblings sharing a name.
+const UNIQUE_VIOLATION = '23505';
+
+// Walks down from a node, collecting it and every descendant. Used both for
+// cycle detection on reparent and for reporting the blast radius of a delete.
+const SUBTREE_CTE = `
+  WITH RECURSIVE subtree AS (
+    SELECT id FROM categories WHERE id = $1
+    UNION ALL
+    SELECT c.id FROM categories c JOIN subtree s ON c.parent_id = s.id
+  )`;
+
+function readName(value: unknown): string | null {
+  if (typeof value !== 'string') return null;
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  return trimmed === '' ? null : trimmed;
+}
+
+// Distinguishes "not supplied" from "explicitly cleared to root".
+function readParentId(value: unknown): number | null | undefined {
+  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
+  if (value === null || value === '') return null;
+  const parsed = typeof value === 'number' ? value : Number(value);
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(parsed) || parsed < 1) return undefined;
+  return parsed;
+}
+
+async function parentExists(id: number): Promise<boolean> {
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(`SELECT 1 FROM categories WHERE id = $1`, [id]);
+  return rows.length > 0;
+}
+
+router.get('/', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(
+    `SELECT c.id, c.name, c.parent_id, c.sort_order,
+            (SELECT COUNT(*)::int FROM items i WHERE i.category_id = c.id) AS item_count
+     FROM categories c
+     ORDER BY c.sort_order, lower(c.name)`
+  );
+  res.json(rows);
+});
+
+router.post('/', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const name = readName(req.body.name);
+  if (!name) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'name is required' });
+  }
+
+  const parentId = readParentId(req.body.parent_id);
+  if (parentId === undefined && req.body.parent_id !== undefined) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid parent_id' });
+  }
+  const parent = parentId ?? null;
+  if (parent !== null && !(await parentExists(parent))) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'parent category does not exist' });
+  }
+
+  const sortOrder = Number.isSafeInteger(req.body.sort_order) ? req.body.sort_order : 0;
+
+  try {
+    const { rows } = await pool.query(
+      `INSERT INTO categories (name, parent_id, sort_order) VALUES ($1, $2, $3)
+       RETURNING id, name, parent_id, sort_order`,
+      [name, parent, sortOrder]
+    );
+    res.status(201).json({ ...rows[0], item_count: 0 });
+  } catch (err) {
+    if ((err as { code?: string }).code === UNIQUE_VIOLATION) {
+      return res.status(409).json({ error: 'a category with that name already exists here' });
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+});
+
+router.put('/:id', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const id = Number(req.params.id);
+  const existing = await pool.query(`SELECT id, name, parent_id, sort_order FROM categories WHERE id = $1`, [id]);
+  if (!existing.rows.length) {
+    return res.status(404).json({ error: 'not found' });
+  }
+
+  let name = existing.rows[0].name;
+  if (req.body.name !== undefined) {
+    const parsed = readName(req.body.name);
+    if (!parsed) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'name is required' });
+    }
+    name = parsed;
+  }
+
+  let parent = existing.rows[0].parent_id;
+  if (req.body.parent_id !== undefined) {
+    const parsed = readParentId(req.body.parent_id);
+    if (parsed === undefined) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid parent_id' });
+    }
+    if (parsed !== null) {
+      if (!(await parentExists(parsed))) {
+        return res.status(400).json({ error: 'parent category does not exist' });
+      }
+      // Moving a node beneath itself or one of its own descendants would
+      // detach that whole branch from the tree into an unreachable cycle.
+      const { rows: cycle } = await pool.query(
+        `${SUBTREE_CTE} SELECT 1 FROM subtree WHERE id = $2`,
+        [id, parsed]
+      );
+      if (cycle.length) {
+        return res.status(400).json({ error: 'a category cannot be moved beneath itself' });
+      }
+    }
+    parent = parsed;
+  }
+
+  const sortOrder = Number.isSafeInteger(req.body.sort_order)
+    ? req.body.sort_order
+    : existing.rows[0].sort_order;
+
+  try {
+    const { rows } = await pool.query(
+      `UPDATE categories SET name = $1, parent_id = $2, sort_order = $3 WHERE id = $4
+       RETURNING id, name, parent_id, sort_order`,
+      [name, parent, sortOrder, id]
+    );
+    res.json(rows[0]);
+  } catch (err) {
+    if ((err as { code?: string }).code === UNIQUE_VIOLATION) {
+      return res.status(409).json({ error: 'a category with that name already exists here' });
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+});
+
+router.delete('/:id', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const id = Number(req.params.id);
+  const { rows: subtree } = await pool.query(`${SUBTREE_CTE} SELECT id FROM subtree`, [id]);
+  if (!subtree.length) {
+    return res.status(404).json({ error: 'not found' });
+  }
+
+  const ids = subtree.map((row: { id: number }) => row.id);
+  const { rows: affected } = await pool.query(
+    `SELECT COUNT(*)::int AS n FROM items WHERE category_id = ANY($1::int[])`,
+    [ids]
+  );
+
+  // The FK cascade takes the descendants; items fall back to NULL rather than
+  // being deleted along with their category.
+  await pool.query(`DELETE FROM categories WHERE id = $1`, [id]);
+
+  res.json({ deleted_categories: ids.length, uncategorized_items: affected[0].n });
+});
+
+export default router;
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/adminTags.ts b/backend/src/routes/adminTags.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f825902
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/routes/adminTags.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import { Router, Request, Response } from 'express';
+import { pool } from '../db';
+import { TAG_COLORS, tagColorFor } from '../utils';
+
+const router = Router();
+
+const UNIQUE_VIOLATION = '23505';
+
+function readName(value: unknown): string | null {
+  if (typeof value !== 'string') return null;
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  return trimmed === '' ? null : trimmed;
+}
+
+// Colours are constrained to the antd preset palette the frontend can actually
+// render — an arbitrary string would come out as an unstyled grey chip.
+function readColor(value: unknown): string | null | undefined {
+  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
+  if (typeof value !== 'string' || !TAG_COLORS.includes(value)) return null;
+  return value;
+}
+
+router.get('/', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(
+    `SELECT t.id, t.name, t.color,
+            (SELECT COUNT(*)::int FROM item_tags it WHERE it.tag_id = t.id) AS item_count
+     FROM tags t
+     ORDER BY lower(t.name)`
+  );
+  res.json(rows);
+});
+
+router.post('/', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const name = readName(req.body.name);
+  if (!name) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'name is required' });
+  }
+
+  const requestedColor = readColor(req.body.color);
+  if (requestedColor === null) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid color' });
+  }
+  const color = requestedColor ?? tagColorFor(name);
+
+  try {
+    const { rows } = await pool.query(
+      `INSERT INTO tags (name, color) VALUES ($1, $2) RETURNING id, name, color`,
+      [name, color]
+    );
+    res.status(201).json({ ...rows[0], item_count: 0 });
+  } catch (err) {
+    if ((err as { code?: string }).code === UNIQUE_VIOLATION) {
+      return res.status(409).json({ error: 'a tag with that name already exists' });
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+});
+
+router.put('/:id', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const id = Number(req.params.id);
+  const existing = await pool.query(`SELECT id, name, color FROM tags WHERE id = $1`, [id]);
+  if (!existing.rows.length) {
+    return res.status(404).json({ error: 'not found' });
+  }
+
+  let name = existing.rows[0].name;
+  if (req.body.name !== undefined) {
+    const parsed = readName(req.body.name);
+    if (!parsed) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'name is required' });
+    }
+    name = parsed;
+  }
+
+  let color = existing.rows[0].color;
+  if (req.body.color !== undefined) {
+    const parsed = readColor(req.body.color);
+    if (!parsed) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid color' });
+    }
+    color = parsed;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const { rows } = await pool.query(
+      `UPDATE tags SET name = $1, color = $2 WHERE id = $3 RETURNING id, name, color`,
+      [name, color, id]
+    );
+    res.json(rows[0]);
+  } catch (err) {
+    if ((err as { code?: string }).code === UNIQUE_VIOLATION) {
+      return res.status(409).json({ error: 'a tag with that name already exists' });
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+});
+
+router.delete('/:id', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  // item_tags cascades; the items themselves are untouched.
+  await pool.query(`DELETE FROM tags WHERE id = $1`, [req.params.id]);
+  res.status(204).end();
+});
+
+export default router;
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/filters.ts b/backend/src/routes/filters.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a5d5cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/routes/filters.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { Router, Request, Response } from 'express';
+import { pool } from '../db';
+
+const router = Router();
+
+// Everything the storefront's filter drawer needs, in one request: the whole
+// category tree (flat — the frontend nests it), every tag with its colour, and
+// the catalogue's price bounds for the slider.
+router.get('/', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  const [categories, tags, price] = await Promise.all([
+    pool.query(
+      `SELECT id, name, parent_id, sort_order FROM categories ORDER BY sort_order, lower(name)`
+    ),
+    pool.query(
+      `SELECT t.id, t.name, t.color, COUNT(it.item_id)::int AS item_count
+       FROM tags t
+       LEFT JOIN item_tags it ON it.tag_id = t.id
+       GROUP BY t.id
+       ORDER BY lower(t.name)`
+    ),
+    // An empty catalogue would otherwise hand the slider a null range.
+    pool.query(
+      `SELECT COALESCE(MIN(price_cents), 0)::int AS min_cents,
+              COALESCE(MAX(price_cents), 0)::int AS max_cents
+       FROM items`
+    )
+  ]);
+
+  res.json({
+    categories: categories.rows,
+    tags: tags.rows,
+    priceRange: price.rows[0]
+  });
+});
+
+export default router;
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/items.ts b/backend/src/routes/items.ts
index 6f6a575..222d026 100755
--- a/backend/src/routes/items.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/items.ts
@@ -1,26 +1,31 @@
 import { Router, Request, Response } from 'express';
 import { pool } from '../db';
+import { PUBLIC_ITEM_SELECT } from '../itemSelect';
+import { parseItemFilters, buildItemFilterSql, FilterError } from '../itemFilters';
 
 const router = Router();
 
-const SELECT_WITH_IMAGES = `
-  SELECT i.id, i.name, i.description, i.price_cents, i.status, i.created_at,
-    COALESCE(
-      json_agg(json_build_object('id', img.id, 'image_path', img.image_path, 'sort_order', img.sort_order)
-        ORDER BY img.sort_order) FILTER (WHERE img.id IS NOT NULL),
-      '[]'
-    ) AS images
-  FROM items i
-  LEFT JOIN item_images img ON img.item_id = i.id
-`;
+router.get('/', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  let filters;
+  try {
+    filters = parseItemFilters(req.query as Record<string, unknown>);
+  } catch (err) {
+    // A malformed filter is returned as an error rather than ignored, so a
+    // broken link shows itself instead of quietly listing the whole catalogue.
+    if (err instanceof FilterError) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: err.message });
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
 
-router.get('/', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
-  const { rows } = await pool.query(`${SELECT_WITH_IMAGES} GROUP BY i.id ORDER BY i.created_at DESC`);
+  const { clauses, params } = buildItemFilterSql(filters, 1);
+  const where = clauses.length ? `WHERE ${clauses.join(' AND ')}` : '';
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(`${PUBLIC_ITEM_SELECT} ${where} ORDER BY i.created_at DESC`, params);
   res.json(rows);
 });
 
 router.get('/:id', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
-  const { rows } = await pool.query(`${SELECT_WITH_IMAGES} WHERE i.id = $1 GROUP BY i.id`, [req.params.id]);
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(`${PUBLIC_ITEM_SELECT} WHERE i.id = $1`, [req.params.id]);
   if (!rows.length) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'not found' });
   res.json(rows[0]);
 });
diff --git a/backend/src/utils.ts b/backend/src/utils.ts
index 29aa561..6a923b7 100755
--- a/backend/src/utils.ts
+++ b/backend/src/utils.ts
@@ -40,5 +40,29 @@ export function isValidEmail(email: string): boolean {
   return labels.length >= 2 && labels.every((label) => DOMAIN_LABEL_RE.test(label));
 }
 
+// antd's preset Tag colours. Kept as the single source of truth for tag
+// colours so the admin palette picker and the auto-assignment below can never
+// drift apart — the frontend renders whatever string lands in tags.color.
+export const TAG_COLORS = [
+  'magenta', 'red', 'volcano', 'orange', 'gold', 'lime',
+  'green', 'cyan', 'blue', 'geekblue', 'purple'
+];
+
+// Tags get a colour the moment they're created inline from the item form, with
+// no prompt. Deriving it from the name (rather than picking at random or
+// round-robining on insert order) means the same tag name always lands on the
+// same colour, so a tag deleted and re-added doesn't silently change colour.
+// The admin can still override it afterwards.
+export function tagColorFor(name: string): string {
+  const normalized = name.trim().toLowerCase();
+  // djb2 — cheap, well-spread for short strings, and stable across Node
+  // versions. `| 0` keeps it in int32 range instead of drifting into float.
+  let hash = 5381;
+  for (let i = 0; i < normalized.length; i++) {
+    hash = ((hash << 5) + hash + normalized.charCodeAt(i)) | 0;
+  }
+  return TAG_COLORS[Math.abs(hash) % TAG_COLORS.length];
+}
+
 export const MARKETING_CONSENT_TEXT =
   'I want to receive occasional emails about new one-of-a-kind items from Redefined Designs. I can unsubscribe at any time.';
diff --git a/backend/tests/integration/categoriesTags.integration.test.ts b/backend/tests/integration/categoriesTags.integration.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cd42e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/integration/categoriesTags.integration.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,452 @@
+import request from 'supertest';
+import app from '../../src/app';
+import { pool } from '../../src/db';
+import { resetDb, closeDb } from './setup/testDb';
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  await resetDb();
+});
+
+afterAll(async () => {
+  await pool.end();
+  await closeDb();
+});
+
+async function createCategory(name: string, parentId: number | null = null): Promise<number> {
+  const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name, parent_id: parentId });
+  expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+  return res.body.id;
+}
+
+async function createTag(name: string): Promise<number> {
+  const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/tags').send({ name });
+  expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+  return res.body.id;
+}
+
+async function createItem(
+  name: string,
+  priceCents: number,
+  categoryId: number | null = null,
+  tagIds: number[] = []
+): Promise<number> {
+  const { rows } = await pool.query(
+    `INSERT INTO items (name, price_cents, category_id) VALUES ($1, $2, $3) RETURNING id`,
+    [name, priceCents, categoryId]
+  );
+  const itemId = rows[0].id;
+  for (const tagId of tagIds) {
+    await pool.query(`INSERT INTO item_tags (item_id, tag_id) VALUES ($1, $2)`, [itemId, tagId]);
+  }
+  return itemId;
+}
+
+describe('admin categories', () => {
+  it('creates a root category', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: 'Furniture' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    expect(res.body.name).toBe('Furniture');
+    expect(res.body.parent_id).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('creates a nested category', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: 'Tables', parent_id: furniture });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    expect(res.body.parent_id).toBe(furniture);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects two root categories with the same name', async () => {
+    await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: 'furniture' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(409);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects two siblings with the same name', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: 'Tables', parent_id: furniture });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(409);
+  });
+
+  it('allows the same name under different parents', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const decor = await createCategory('Decor');
+    await createCategory('Vintage', furniture);
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: 'Vintage', parent_id: decor });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a category with a blank name', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: '   ' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a parent that does not exist', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/categories').send({ name: 'Orphan', parent_id: 9999 });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('lists categories with the number of items in each', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    await createItem('Chair', 1000, furniture);
+    await createItem('Stool', 2000, furniture);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/admin/categories');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const found = res.body.find((c: { id: number }) => c.id === furniture);
+    expect(found.item_count).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it('renames a category', async () => {
+    const id = await createCategory('Furnature');
+    const res = await request(app).put(`/api/admin/categories/${id}`).send({ name: 'Furniture' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.name).toBe('Furniture');
+  });
+
+  it('reparents a category', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const tables = await createCategory('Tables');
+    const res = await request(app).put(`/api/admin/categories/${tables}`).send({ parent_id: furniture });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.parent_id).toBe(furniture);
+  });
+
+  it('refuses to make a category its own parent', async () => {
+    const id = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const res = await request(app).put(`/api/admin/categories/${id}`).send({ parent_id: id });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('refuses to move a category beneath its own descendant', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const tables = await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    const coffee = await createCategory('Coffee Tables', tables);
+
+    const res = await request(app).put(`/api/admin/categories/${furniture}`).send({ parent_id: coffee });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+
+    // The tree must be untouched after a rejected move.
+    const check = await pool.query(`SELECT parent_id FROM categories WHERE id = $1`, [furniture]);
+    expect(check.rows[0].parent_id).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('deletes a category and reports what it affected', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const tables = await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    await createItem('Chair', 1000, furniture);
+    await createItem('Coffee table', 2000, tables);
+
+    const res = await request(app).delete(`/api/admin/categories/${furniture}`);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.deleted_categories).toBe(2);
+    expect(res.body.uncategorized_items).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps items when their category is deleted, merely uncategorizing them', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const tables = await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    const itemId = await createItem('Coffee table', 2000, tables);
+
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/admin/categories/${furniture}`);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items/${itemId}`);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.category_id).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('admin tags', () => {
+  it('creates a tag with an auto-assigned colour', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/tags').send({ name: 'vintage' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    expect(res.body.name).toBe('vintage');
+    expect(typeof res.body.color).toBe('string');
+    expect(res.body.color.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('honours an explicit colour on create', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/tags').send({ name: 'vintage', color: 'purple' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    expect(res.body.color).toBe('purple');
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a colour outside the palette', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/tags').send({ name: 'vintage', color: 'chartreuse' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a duplicate tag name regardless of case', async () => {
+    await createTag('vintage');
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/tags').send({ name: 'VINTAGE' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(409);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a blank tag name', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/admin/tags').send({ name: '  ' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('lists tags with the number of items carrying each', async () => {
+    const vintage = await createTag('vintage');
+    await createTag('unused');
+    await createItem('Chair', 1000, null, [vintage]);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/admin/tags');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const found = res.body.find((t: { id: number }) => t.id === vintage);
+    expect(found.item_count).toBe(1);
+    const unused = res.body.find((t: { name: string }) => t.name === 'unused');
+    expect(unused.item_count).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('overrides a tag colour', async () => {
+    const id = await createTag('vintage');
+    const res = await request(app).put(`/api/admin/tags/${id}`).send({ color: 'geekblue' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.color).toBe('geekblue');
+  });
+
+  it('renames a tag', async () => {
+    const id = await createTag('vintge');
+    const res = await request(app).put(`/api/admin/tags/${id}`).send({ name: 'vintage' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.name).toBe('vintage');
+  });
+
+  it('deleting a tag detaches it from items without deleting them', async () => {
+    const vintage = await createTag('vintage');
+    const itemId = await createItem('Chair', 1000, null, [vintage]);
+
+    const res = await request(app).delete(`/api/admin/tags/${vintage}`);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(204);
+
+    const item = await request(app).get(`/api/items/${itemId}`);
+    expect(item.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(item.body.tags).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('admin item form', () => {
+  it('saves a category and creates unknown tags on the fly', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .post('/api/admin/items')
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('category_id', String(furniture))
+      .field('tags', JSON.stringify(['vintage', 'oak']));
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.category_id).toBe(furniture);
+    expect(res.body.tags.map((t: { name: string }) => t.name).sort()).toEqual(['oak', 'vintage']);
+  });
+
+  it('reuses an existing tag rather than duplicating it', async () => {
+    await createTag('vintage');
+
+    await request(app)
+      .post('/api/admin/items')
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('tags', JSON.stringify(['VINTAGE']));
+
+    const { rows } = await pool.query(`SELECT COUNT(*)::int AS n FROM tags`);
+    expect(rows[0].n).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it('replaces an item\'s tags on update rather than appending', async () => {
+    const create = await request(app)
+      .post('/api/admin/items')
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('tags', JSON.stringify(['vintage', 'oak']));
+
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .put(`/api/admin/items/${create.body.id}`)
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('tags', JSON.stringify(['oak']));
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.tags.map((t: { name: string }) => t.name)).toEqual(['oak']);
+  });
+
+  it('clears the category when an empty category_id is submitted', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const create = await request(app)
+      .post('/api/admin/items')
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('category_id', String(furniture));
+
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .put(`/api/admin/items/${create.body.id}`)
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('category_id', '');
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.category_id).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('returns each image exactly once for an item that also has tags', async () => {
+    const create = await request(app)
+      .post('/api/admin/items')
+      .field('name', 'Oak table')
+      .field('description', '')
+      .field('price', '340')
+      .field('tags', JSON.stringify(['vintage', 'oak', 'restored']));
+
+    await pool.query(
+      `INSERT INTO item_images (item_id, image_path, sort_order) VALUES ($1, '/uploads/a.jpg', 0), ($1, '/uploads/b.jpg', 1)`,
+      [create.body.id]
+    );
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items/${create.body.id}`);
+    expect(res.body.images).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(res.body.tags).toHaveLength(3);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('GET /api/filters', () => {
+  it('returns the category tree, tags, and the catalogue price range', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    await createTag('vintage');
+    await createItem('Cheap', 1200);
+    await createItem('Dear', 80000);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/filters');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.categories).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(res.body.tags).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(res.body.priceRange).toEqual({ min_cents: 1200, max_cents: 80000 });
+  });
+
+  it('returns a zeroed price range for an empty catalogue', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/filters');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.priceRange).toEqual({ min_cents: 0, max_cents: 0 });
+  });
+});
+
+describe('GET /api/items filtering', () => {
+  it('returns every item when nothing is filtered', async () => {
+    await createItem('A', 1000);
+    await createItem('B', 2000);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/items');
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
+  it('matches a category and all of its descendants', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const tables = await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    const coffee = await createCategory('Coffee Tables', tables);
+    const decor = await createCategory('Decor');
+
+    await createItem('Deep', 1000, coffee);
+    await createItem('Mid', 1000, tables);
+    await createItem('Top', 1000, furniture);
+    await createItem('Elsewhere', 1000, decor);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items?category=${furniture}`);
+    expect(res.body.map((i: { name: string }) => i.name).sort()).toEqual(['Deep', 'Mid', 'Top']);
+  });
+
+  it('excludes uncategorized items from a category filter', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    await createItem('Filed', 1000, furniture);
+    await createItem('Loose', 1000, null);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items?category=${furniture}`);
+    expect(res.body.map((i: { name: string }) => i.name)).toEqual(['Filed']);
+  });
+
+  it('requires every listed tag, not merely one of them', async () => {
+    const vintage = await createTag('vintage');
+    const oak = await createTag('oak');
+
+    await createItem('Both', 1000, null, [vintage, oak]);
+    await createItem('Only vintage', 1000, null, [vintage]);
+    await createItem('Only oak', 1000, null, [oak]);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items?tags=${vintage},${oak}`);
+    expect(res.body.map((i: { name: string }) => i.name)).toEqual(['Both']);
+  });
+
+  it('matches items carrying extra tags beyond those selected', async () => {
+    const vintage = await createTag('vintage');
+    const oak = await createTag('oak');
+    const rare = await createTag('rare');
+    await createItem('Three tags', 1000, null, [vintage, oak, rare]);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items?tags=${vintage},${oak}`);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it('bounds the price range inclusively', async () => {
+    await createItem('Under', 900);
+    await createItem('Low edge', 1000);
+    await createItem('Middle', 3000);
+    await createItem('High edge', 5000);
+    await createItem('Over', 5100);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/items?min_price=1000&max_price=5000');
+    expect(res.body.map((i: { name: string }) => i.name).sort()).toEqual(['High edge', 'Low edge', 'Middle']);
+  });
+
+  it('combines category, tags, and price with AND', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const tables = await createCategory('Tables', furniture);
+    const vintage = await createTag('vintage');
+
+    await createItem('Match', 3000, tables, [vintage]);
+    await createItem('Wrong category', 3000, null, [vintage]);
+    await createItem('Wrong tag', 3000, tables, []);
+    await createItem('Wrong price', 9000, tables, [vintage]);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items?category=${furniture}&tags=${vintage}&min_price=1000&max_price=5000`);
+    expect(res.body.map((i: { name: string }) => i.name)).toEqual(['Match']);
+  });
+
+  it('includes each item\'s tags and category name in the response', async () => {
+    const furniture = await createCategory('Furniture');
+    const vintage = await createTag('vintage');
+    await createItem('Chair', 1000, furniture, [vintage]);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/items');
+    expect(res.body[0].category_name).toBe('Furniture');
+    expect(res.body[0].tags[0].name).toBe('vintage');
+    expect(res.body[0].tags[0].color).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a malformed category rather than silently returning everything', async () => {
+    await createItem('A', 1000);
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/items?category=furniture');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an inverted price range', async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/items?min_price=5000&max_price=1000');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it('returns an empty list for a category that matches nothing', async () => {
+    const empty = await createCategory('Empty');
+    await createItem('A', 1000);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get(`/api/items?category=${empty}`);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/tests/integration/setup/testDb.ts b/backend/tests/integration/setup/testDb.ts
index d35605b..207dece 100755
--- a/backend/tests/integration/setup/testDb.ts
+++ b/backend/tests/integration/setup/testDb.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ export async function migrate(): Promise<void> {
 export async function resetDb(): Promise<void> {
   await testPool.query(`
     TRUNCATE TABLE orders, checkout_items, checkouts, shipping_addresses, cart_items, carts,
-      customer_tokens, customer_sessions, customers, item_images, items
+      customer_tokens, customer_sessions, customers, item_tags, item_images, items,
+      tags, categories
     RESTART IDENTITY CASCADE
   `);
 }
diff --git a/backend/tests/unit/itemFilters.test.ts b/backend/tests/unit/itemFilters.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7015d50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/unit/itemFilters.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+import { parseItemFilters, FilterError, buildItemFilterSql } from '../../src/itemFilters';
+
+describe('parseItemFilters', () => {
+  it('returns empty filters for an empty query', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({})).toEqual({
+      categoryId: null,
+      tagIds: [],
+      minPriceCents: null,
+      maxPriceCents: null
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('parses a category id', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ category: '7' }).categoryId).toBe(7);
+  });
+
+  it('parses a comma-separated tag list', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ tags: '3,1,2' }).tagIds).toEqual([3, 1, 2]);
+  });
+
+  it('collapses duplicate tag ids', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ tags: '2,2,5' }).tagIds).toEqual([2, 5]);
+  });
+
+  it('treats an empty tag list as no tag filter', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ tags: '' }).tagIds).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('parses an inclusive price range in cents', () => {
+    const filters = parseItemFilters({ min_price: '1000', max_price: '5000' });
+    expect(filters.minPriceCents).toBe(1000);
+    expect(filters.maxPriceCents).toBe(5000);
+  });
+
+  it('allows a price range open at one end', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ min_price: '1000' }).maxPriceCents).toBeNull();
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ max_price: '5000' }).minPriceCents).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('allows a zero minimum price', () => {
+    expect(parseItemFilters({ min_price: '0' }).minPriceCents).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a non-numeric category', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ category: 'furniture' })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a category id below 1', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ category: '0' })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a non-numeric tag id', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ tags: '1,vintage' })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a negative price', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ min_price: '-1' })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a fractional price', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ max_price: '10.5' })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an inverted price range', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ min_price: '5000', max_price: '1000' })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+
+  it('accepts a price range where both ends are equal', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ min_price: '1000', max_price: '1000' })).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a repeated query param rather than guessing which one to use', () => {
+    expect(() => parseItemFilters({ category: ['1', '2'] })).toThrow(FilterError);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('buildItemFilterSql', () => {
+  it('produces no clauses and no params when nothing is filtered', () => {
+    const built = buildItemFilterSql(parseItemFilters({}), 1);
+    expect(built.clauses).toEqual([]);
+    expect(built.params).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('matches a category and all of its descendants', () => {
+    const built = buildItemFilterSql(parseItemFilters({ category: '4' }), 1);
+    expect(built.clauses.join(' ')).toContain('RECURSIVE');
+    expect(built.params).toEqual([4]);
+  });
+
+  it('requires every listed tag rather than any of them', () => {
+    const built = buildItemFilterSql(parseItemFilters({ tags: '1,2' }), 1);
+    // The count of matched tag rows must equal the number of tags requested —
+    // an ANY/IN match alone would return items carrying just one of them.
+    expect(built.clauses.join(' ')).toContain('COUNT(*)');
+    expect(built.params).toEqual([[1, 2], 2]);
+  });
+
+  it('numbers placeholders from the given starting index', () => {
+    const built = buildItemFilterSql(parseItemFilters({ category: '4' }), 3);
+    expect(built.clauses.join(' ')).toContain('$3');
+  });
+
+  it('continues numbering across multiple filters', () => {
+    const built = buildItemFilterSql(
+      parseItemFilters({ category: '4', min_price: '100', max_price: '900' }),
+      1
+    );
+    expect(built.params).toEqual([4, 100, 900]);
+    const sql = built.clauses.join(' ');
+    expect(sql).toContain('$1');
+    expect(sql).toContain('$2');
+    expect(sql).toContain('$3');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/tests/unit/tagColor.test.ts b/backend/tests/unit/tagColor.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe8b3c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/unit/tagColor.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { tagColorFor, TAG_COLORS } from '../../src/utils';
+
+describe('tagColorFor', () => {
+  it('returns a colour from the palette', () => {
+    expect(TAG_COLORS).toContain(tagColorFor('vintage'));
+  });
+
+  it('returns the same colour for the same name every time', () => {
+    expect(tagColorFor('vintage')).toBe(tagColorFor('vintage'));
+  });
+
+  it('ignores case and surrounding whitespace, matching how tag names are deduped', () => {
+    expect(tagColorFor('  Vintage ')).toBe(tagColorFor('vintage'));
+  });
+
+  it('gives different names different colours', () => {
+    // Not guaranteed for every possible pair, but a handful of realistic tag
+    // names should spread across the palette rather than collapsing onto one.
+    const names = ['vintage', 'handmade', 'oak', 'restored', 'rare', 'walnut'];
+    const distinct = new Set(names.map(tagColorFor));
+    expect(distinct.size).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+  });
+
+  it('handles an empty name without throwing', () => {
+    expect(TAG_COLORS).toContain(tagColorFor(''));
+  });
+
+  it('handles a name of non-ASCII characters', () => {
+    expect(TAG_COLORS).toContain(tagColorFor('café'));
+  });
+});
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-17-categories-and-tags-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-17-categories-and-tags-design.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97e8fbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-17-categories-and-tags-design.md
@@ -0,0 +1,279 @@
+# Categories and Tags — Design
+
+**Issue:** [#23 — Categories and tags](https://gitea.bermudalamb.synology.me/bermudalamb/redefined-designs/issues/23)
+**Date:** 2026-08-17
+**Status:** Approved
+
+## Goal
+
+Give every item two new organizing dimensions, and let storefront visitors filter on them:
+
+1. **Category** — an admin-managed tree. Metadata only; no physical storage structure changes.
+2. **Tags** — flexible, colour-coded labels. An item carries many; new tags are created on the fly.
+
+The storefront gains filters for category, tags, and price range.
+
+## Decisions
+
+Every decision below was settled with the issue author and is recorded on the issue
+([round 1](https://gitea.bermudalamb.synology.me/bermudalamb/redefined-designs/issues/23#issuecomment-183),
+[round 2](https://gitea.bermudalamb.synology.me/bermudalamb/redefined-designs/issues/23#issuecomment-184),
+[round 3](https://gitea.bermudalamb.synology.me/bermudalamb/redefined-designs/issues/23#issuecomment-185)).
+
+| Area | Decision |
+| --- | --- |
+| Category assignment | Manual. The admin builds the tree and picks a node per item. **No rule engine.** |
+| Category depth | Arbitrary, via self-referencing `parent_id` |
+| Categories per item | Exactly one; `NULL` allowed and means Uncategorized |
+| Category filtering | Selecting a node matches that node **and all its descendants** |
+| Tags per item | Many |
+| Tag registry | Central `tags` table — enables rename, recolour, delete |
+| Tag creation | On the fly from the item form |
+| Tag colours | Auto-assigned deterministically from the name, overridable from a palette |
+| Tag filtering | **AND** — an item must carry every selected tag |
+| Filter combination | Category AND tags AND price |
+| Filter location | Server-side, via query params on `/api/items` |
+| Storefront layout | Drawer + removable active-filter chips; drawer enters from the right at all sizes |
+| Sold items | Continue to appear on the storefront, unchanged |
+
+The issue's phrase "rules that dictate how the app automatically organizes items" was explicitly
+resolved to mean manual tree assignment, matching its own follow-on sentence that categories are
+"only metadata for organizing the items into a tree-like structure."
+
+## Schema
+
+One new migration, created with `npm run migrate:create -- add-categories-and-tags`.
+
+```sql
+CREATE TABLE categories (
+  id         SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  name       TEXT NOT NULL,
+  parent_id  INTEGER REFERENCES categories(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  sort_order INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
+);
+
+-- Siblings cannot share a name. Two partial indexes rather than one, because
+-- NULL parent_id would otherwise defeat a plain unique constraint.
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX categories_child_name_uniq
+  ON categories (parent_id, lower(name)) WHERE parent_id IS NOT NULL;
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX categories_root_name_uniq
+  ON categories (lower(name)) WHERE parent_id IS NULL;
+
+CREATE TABLE tags (
+  id         SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  name       TEXT NOT NULL,
+  color      TEXT NOT NULL,
+  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
+);
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX tags_name_uniq ON tags (lower(name));
+
+CREATE TABLE item_tags (
+  item_id INTEGER NOT NULL REFERENCES items(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  tag_id  INTEGER NOT NULL REFERENCES tags(id)  ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  PRIMARY KEY (item_id, tag_id)
+);
+CREATE INDEX item_tags_tag_id_idx ON item_tags (tag_id);
+
+ALTER TABLE items ADD COLUMN category_id INTEGER REFERENCES categories(id) ON DELETE SET NULL;
+CREATE INDEX items_category_id_idx ON items (category_id);
+```
+
+**Delete semantics.** Deleting a category cascades to its subcategories; items in any deleted node
+fall back to `NULL` (Uncategorized) rather than being deleted. The admin confirm dialog states the
+counts before proceeding. Deleting a tag removes its `item_tags` rows and nothing else.
+
+Unlike the baseline migration, this one has a real `down` that drops the three tables and the
+`items.category_id` column.
+
+## Backend
+
+### Descendant matching
+
+A recursive CTE walks down from the selected node:
+
+```sql
+WITH RECURSIVE subtree AS (
+  SELECT id FROM categories WHERE id = $1
+  UNION ALL
+  SELECT c.id FROM categories c JOIN subtree s ON c.parent_id = s.id
+)
+SELECT ... WHERE i.category_id IN (SELECT id FROM subtree)
+```
+
+Chosen over a materialized path column because nothing is denormalized: reparenting a subtree stays
+a single `UPDATE parent_id`, with no descendant paths to rewrite and drift out of sync. The tree
+will hold dozens of nodes, so the query cost is irrelevant.
+
+### Fixing the existing item SELECT first
+
+`SELECT_WITH_IMAGES` in both `routes/items.ts` and `routes/admin.ts` aggregates images through a
+`LEFT JOIN` plus `GROUP BY`. Adding a second one-to-many join for tags to that shape fans out rows
+and silently duplicates every image. Both are converted to scalar subqueries, which drops the
+`GROUP BY` entirely:
+
+```sql
+SELECT i.id, i.name, i.description, i.price_cents, i.status, i.created_at,
+       i.category_id, c.name AS category_name,
+  COALESCE((SELECT json_agg(json_build_object('id', img.id, 'image_path', img.image_path,
+                                              'sort_order', img.sort_order) ORDER BY img.sort_order)
+            FROM item_images img WHERE img.item_id = i.id), '[]') AS images,
+  COALESCE((SELECT json_agg(json_build_object('id', t.id, 'name', t.name, 'color', t.color)
+                            ORDER BY t.name)
+            FROM item_tags it JOIN tags t ON t.id = it.tag_id
+            WHERE it.item_id = i.id), '[]') AS tags
+FROM items i
+LEFT JOIN categories c ON c.id = i.category_id
+```
+
+This is a prerequisite, not opportunistic refactoring — the feature is incorrect without it.
+
+### Public endpoints
+
+**`GET /api/items`** gains query params, all optional and all combined with AND:
+
+| Param | Type | Meaning |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `category` | integer | Match this node and all descendants |
+| `tags` | comma-separated integers | Item must carry **all** of them |
+| `min_price` / `max_price` | integer cents | Inclusive bounds on `price_cents` |
+
+Tag AND is enforced with a count check rather than repeated joins:
+
+```sql
+AND (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM item_tags it
+     WHERE it.item_id = i.id AND it.tag_id = ANY($1::int[])) = $2
+```
+
+Malformed params (non-numeric, negative, inverted price range) return `400` rather than being
+silently ignored, so a broken filter link is visible instead of quietly returning everything.
+
+**`GET /api/filters`** returns everything the drawer needs in one request:
+
+```json
+{
+  "categories": [{ "id": 1, "name": "Furniture", "parent_id": null, "sort_order": 0 }],
+  "tags": [{ "id": 1, "name": "vintage", "color": "magenta", "item_count": 4 }],
+  "priceRange": { "min_cents": 1200, "max_cents": 80000 }
+}
+```
+
+Categories come back as a flat list; the frontend builds the tree. `priceRange` is computed across
+all items and gives the slider its bounds. When there are no items, it returns `{min_cents: 0, max_cents: 0}`.
+
+### Admin endpoints
+
+Mounted under the existing `/api/admin` prefix, so they inherit the authentik forward-auth boundary
+described in `.claude/project-context.md` with no nginx change.
+
+- `GET|POST /api/admin/categories`, `PUT|DELETE /api/admin/categories/:id`
+- `GET|POST /api/admin/tags`, `PUT|DELETE /api/admin/tags/:id`
+
+`GET /api/admin/categories` returns each node with an `item_count`, which is what lets the admin UI
+state the blast radius of a delete before calling it — the tree and the counts are already on the
+client, so no extra preview endpoint is needed. `PUT /api/admin/categories/:id` accepts `name`,
+`parent_id`, and `sort_order`; reparenting is validated against cycles server-side — a node may not
+become its own descendant — returning `400`. `DELETE` reports what it actually did, as
+`{ deleted_categories, uncategorized_items }`.
+
+`POST`/`PUT /api/admin/items` gain two multipart fields:
+
+- `category_id` — integer or empty for Uncategorized
+- `tags` — JSON array of tag names; unknown names are created inside the same transaction with a
+  hashed colour
+
+Multer's `fields: 8` cap in `routes/admin.ts` still has headroom: 3 text fields today, 5 after.
+
+### Tag colours
+
+A pure function hashes the tag name onto antd's preset palette, so a name always yields the same
+colour and adjacent tags rarely collide. Lives in `backend/src/utils.ts` beside the existing helpers
+and is unit-tested for determinism and range. An admin override simply writes `tags.color` directly.
+
+## Frontend
+
+### New files
+
+| File | Purpose |
+| --- | --- |
+| `src/filters.ts` | Filter state type, URL query-string serialization, category tree building |
+| `src/components/FilterDrawer.tsx` | The drawer: category tree, tag pills, price slider |
+| `src/components/ActiveFilterChips.tsx` | Removable chips plus "Clear all" |
+| `src/admin/Categories.tsx` | Category tree management tab |
+| `src/admin/Tags.tsx` | Tag list management tab |
+
+### Storefront
+
+`App.tsx` holds filter state, syncs it to the URL query string, and refetches items when it changes.
+Filtered views are therefore shareable and the back button works.
+
+The closed state is a "Filters (N)" button with active-filter chips beside it — wrapping onto their
+own line on mobile. The drawer enters from the right at every screen size (`placement="right"`,
+near-full-width below the `md` breakpoint), with a sticky footer holding "Clear all" and
+"Show N items".
+
+The chip row is marked `role="group" aria-label="Active filters"`, which keeps its "Clear all"
+distinguishable from the identically-labelled control in the drawer.
+
+The tag section is labelled **"Tags — must have all"** so that selecting a second tag and watching
+the grid shrink reads as intentional rather than broken.
+
+`ItemCard` renders its tags as colour-coded antd `Tag` chips.
+
+### Admin
+
+Two tabs added beside Inventory, Customers, and Settings:
+
+- **Categories** — antd `Tree` with drag-to-reparent, inline add/rename/delete, delete confirm
+  naming the affected subcategory and item counts. Expansion is controlled state rather than
+  `defaultExpandAll`: that prop is evaluated once at mount, so a branch created afterwards would
+  render collapsed and its children be unreachable. Creating or moving a node expands its parent.
+- **Tags** — list with rename, colour override from a palette, and delete showing the item count
+
+The item modal gains a category `TreeSelect` (with an explicit Uncategorized option) and a tags
+`Select mode="tags"` for on-the-fly creation.
+
+### Import convention
+
+New frontend files use antd deep imports (`import Drawer from 'antd/lib/drawer'`) per the standing
+user rule. Existing files keep their barrel imports — churning them is out of scope for this issue.
+
+## Testing
+
+**Unit** (`backend/tests/unit/`)
+- Tag colour hash: deterministic, always within the palette, stable across calls
+- Filter query-param parsing: valid values accepted, malformed values rejected
+
+**Integration** (`backend/tests/integration/categoriesTags.integration.test.ts`)
+- Category CRUD; sibling name collision rejected
+- Reparent that would create a cycle rejected with `400`
+- Deleting a parent cascades to subcategories and uncategorizes their items without deleting them
+- `?category=` matches descendants, not just the exact node
+- `?tags=` requires **all** listed tags, not any
+- `?min_price`/`?max_price` bound inclusively; inverted range rejected
+- All three filters combined
+- `GET /api/filters` shape, including the empty-catalogue price range
+- Creating an item with a new tag name creates the tag; reusing a name does not duplicate it
+
+**E2E** (`frontend/tests/e2e/filters.spec.ts`)
+- Open the drawer, filter by category, tags, and price; assert the grid narrows
+- A nested category is selectable, not just the roots
+- Remove a chip and assert the grid widens; "Clear all" resets everything
+- Reload a filtered URL and assert the filters are restored
+- Tags render on the item card
+
+**E2E** (`frontend/tests/e2e/admin-taxonomy.spec.ts`)
+- Create a category and a nested child, asserting the child stays visible
+- Create a tag and confirm a colour was assigned
+- The item form exposes category and tag fields
+
+Both e2e specs run against a database that is never reset between runs, so fixture names carry a
+per-run suffix, and `filters.spec.ts` treats re-entry into its `beforeAll` as a no-op — a worker can
+be handed the same spec file in more than one batch, and seeding twice would duplicate every item.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- Any automatic categorization rule engine (explicitly rejected — see Q1)
+- Multiple categories per item (explicitly rejected — see Q2)
+- Customer-facing tag creation; tags are admin-only
+- Filtering or faceting in the admin inventory table
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index d550dbc..d34d380 100755
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,18 @@
-import { useEffect, useState, useCallback } from 'react';
-import { Layout, Typography, Switch, Row, Col, Spin, Button, theme, Badge } from 'antd';
-import { ShoppingCartOutlined } from '@ant-design/icons';
-import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
-import { Item, fetchItems } from './api';
+import { useEffect, useState, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
+import { Layout, Typography, Switch, Row, Col, Spin, Button, theme, Badge, Empty } from 'antd';
+import { ShoppingCartOutlined, FilterOutlined } from '@ant-design/icons';
+import { Link, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { Item, FilterOptions, fetchItems, fetchFilterOptions } from './api';
 import ItemCard from './components/ItemCard';
+import FilterDrawer from './components/FilterDrawer';
+import ActiveFilterChips from './components/ActiveFilterChips';
+import {
+  ItemFilters,
+  activeFilterCount,
+  filtersFromSearchParams,
+  filtersToSearchParams,
+  hasActiveFilters
+} from './filters';
 import { useThemeMode } from './theme/ThemeContext';
 import { useCustomerAuth } from './customer/CustomerAuthContext';
 import { useCart } from './cart/CartContext';
@@ -11,18 +20,63 @@ import { useCart } from './cart/CartContext';
 const { Header, Content, Footer } = Layout;
 const { Title } = Typography;
 
+// Dragging the price slider fires a change per pixel; without this every one
+// would become its own request.
+const FILTER_DEBOUNCE_MS = 250;
+
 export default function App() {
   const [items, setItems] = useState<Item[]>([]);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [options, setOptions] = useState<FilterOptions | null>(null);
+  const [drawerOpen, setDrawerOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams();
   const { mode, toggle } = useThemeMode();
   const { customer } = useCustomerAuth();
   const { items: cartItems } = useCart();
   const { token } = theme.useToken();
 
+  // The URL is the single source of truth for filter state, so a reload, a
+  // shared link, and the back button all restore the same view.
+  const filters = useMemo(() => filtersFromSearchParams(searchParams), [searchParams]);
+  const filterKey = filtersToSearchParams(filters).toString();
+
+  const applyFilters = useCallback(
+    (next: ItemFilters) => {
+      // replace, not push: dragging a slider shouldn't bury the previous page
+      // under dozens of history entries.
+      setSearchParams(filtersToSearchParams(next), { replace: true });
+    },
+    [setSearchParams]
+  );
+
+  const clearFilters = useCallback(() => {
+    setSearchParams(new URLSearchParams(), { replace: true });
+  }, [setSearchParams]);
+
   const load = useCallback(() => {
-    fetchItems().then(setItems);
+    return fetchItems(filtersFromSearchParams(new URLSearchParams(filterKey)))
+      .then(setItems)
+      .finally(() => setLoading(false));
+  }, [filterKey]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setLoading(true);
+    const timer = setTimeout(load, FILTER_DEBOUNCE_MS);
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [load]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    fetchFilterOptions().then(setOptions).catch(() => setOptions(null));
   }, []);
 
-  useEffect(() => { load(); }, [load]);
+  // Adding to cart flips an item to reserved, and the filter options' price
+  // bounds shift as inventory changes.
+  const reload = useCallback(() => {
+    load();
+    fetchFilterOptions().then(setOptions).catch(() => undefined);
+  }, [load]);
+
+  const activeCount = activeFilterCount(filters);
 
   return (
     <Layout style={{ minHeight: '100vh' }}>
@@ -54,11 +108,38 @@ export default function App() {
         </div>
       </Header>
       <Content style={{ padding: 24 }}>
-        {!items.length ? <Spin /> : (
+        <div className="filter-bar">
+          <Button
+            icon={<FilterOutlined />}
+            onClick={() => setDrawerOpen(true)}
+            type={activeCount ? 'primary' : 'default'}
+          >
+            Filters{activeCount ? ` (${activeCount})` : ''}
+          </Button>
+          <ActiveFilterChips
+            options={options}
+            filters={filters}
+            onChange={applyFilters}
+            onClear={clearFilters}
+          />
+        </div>
+
+        {loading && !items.length ? <Spin /> : null}
+        {!loading && !items.length ? (
+          <Empty
+            description={
+              hasActiveFilters(filters)
+                ? 'No items match these filters'
+                : 'No items yet — check back soon'
+            }
+          >
+            {hasActiveFilters(filters) ? <Button onClick={clearFilters}>Clear filters</Button> : null}
+          </Empty>
+        ) : (
           <Row gutter={[20, 20]}>
             {items.map(item => (
               <Col key={item.id} xs={24} sm={12} md={8} lg={6}>
-                <ItemCard item={item} onChanged={load} />
+                <ItemCard item={item} onChanged={reload} />
               </Col>
             ))}
           </Row>
@@ -67,6 +148,16 @@ export default function App() {
       <Footer style={{ textAlign: 'center', background: token.colorBgContainer }}>
         <Link to="/privacy">Privacy Policy</Link>
       </Footer>
+
+      <FilterDrawer
+        open={drawerOpen}
+        onClose={() => setDrawerOpen(false)}
+        options={options}
+        filters={filters}
+        onChange={applyFilters}
+        onClear={clearFilters}
+        resultCount={items.length}
+      />
     </Layout>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx b/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx
index d6ea2a7..c0cb761 100755
--- a/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,39 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import {
   Layout, Table, Button, Form, Input, InputNumber, Upload, Modal,
-  Space, Tag, Typography, Switch, message, Image as AntImage, theme, Tabs
+  Space, Tag, Typography, Switch, message, Image as AntImage, theme, Tabs,
+  TreeSelect, Select
 } from 'antd';
 import { UploadOutlined, DeleteOutlined } from '@ant-design/icons';
 import type { UploadFile } from 'antd/es/upload/interface';
 import MDEditor from '@uiw/react-md-editor';
 import '@uiw/react-md-editor/markdown-editor.css';
 import '@uiw/react-markdown-preview/markdown.css';
-import { Item, fetchAdminItems, saveItem, deleteItem, deleteItemImage, markSold, markAvailable } from '../api';
+import {
+  Item, Category, Tag as TagRecord,
+  fetchAdminItems, saveItem, deleteItem, deleteItemImage, markSold, markAvailable,
+  fetchAdminCategories, fetchAdminTags
+} from '../api';
+import { buildCategoryTree, CategoryNode } from '../filters';
 import { useThemeMode } from '../theme/ThemeContext';
 import Customers from './Customers';
 import Settings from './Settings';
+import Categories from './Categories';
+import Tags from './Tags';
+
+interface CategoryTreeOption {
+  value: number;
+  title: string;
+  children?: CategoryTreeOption[];
+}
+
+function toCategoryTreeData(nodes: CategoryNode[]): CategoryTreeOption[] {
+  return nodes.map(node => ({
+    value: node.id,
+    title: node.name,
+    children: node.children.length ? toCategoryTreeData(node.children) : undefined
+  }));
+}
 
 const { Header, Content } = Layout;
 const { Title } = Typography;
@@ -23,24 +45,41 @@ function Inventory() {
   const [form] = Form.useForm();
   const [fileList, setFileList] = useState<UploadFile[]>([]);
   const [description, setDescription] = useState<string>('');
+  const [categories, setCategories] = useState<Category[]>([]);
+  const [tags, setTags] = useState<TagRecord[]>([]);
   const { mode } = useThemeMode();
 
   const load = () => fetchAdminItems().then(setItems);
-  useEffect(() => { load(); }, []);
+
+  // The item form needs the current category tree and tag list; both change
+  // from the sibling tabs, so they're refetched whenever the modal opens.
+  const loadOptions = () => Promise.all([
+    fetchAdminCategories().then(setCategories),
+    fetchAdminTags().then(setTags)
+  ]);
+
+  useEffect(() => { load(); loadOptions(); }, []);
 
   function openNew() {
     setEditingItem(null);
     form.resetFields();
     setFileList([]);
     setDescription('');
+    loadOptions();
     setModalOpen(true);
   }
 
   function openEdit(item: Item) {
     setEditingItem(item);
-    form.setFieldsValue({ name: item.name, price: item.price_cents / 100 });
+    form.setFieldsValue({
+      name: item.name,
+      price: item.price_cents / 100,
+      category_id: item.category_id ?? undefined,
+      tags: item.tags.map(tag => tag.name)
+    });
     setFileList([]);
     setDescription(item.description || '');
+    loadOptions();
     setModalOpen(true);
   }
 
@@ -50,11 +89,16 @@ function Inventory() {
     fd.append('name', values.name);
     fd.append('description', description);
     fd.append('price', String(values.price));
+    // An empty string clears the category server-side; undefined would be sent
+    // as the literal text "undefined".
+    fd.append('category_id', values.category_id == null ? '' : String(values.category_id));
+    fd.append('tags', JSON.stringify(values.tags ?? []));
     fileList.forEach(f => { if (f.originFileObj) fd.append('images', f.originFileObj as File); });
     await saveItem(editingItem?.id ?? null, fd);
     message.success(editingItem ? 'Item updated' : 'Item added');
     setModalOpen(false);
     load();
+    loadOptions();
   }
 
   async function handleDelete(id: number) {
@@ -87,6 +131,19 @@ function Inventory() {
         ) : null
     },
     { title: 'Name', dataIndex: 'name' },
+    {
+      title: 'Category',
+      dataIndex: 'category_name',
+      render: (name: string | null) => name || <span style={{ opacity: 0.45 }}>Uncategorized</span>
+    },
+    {
+      title: 'Tags',
+      dataIndex: 'tags',
+      render: (itemTags: Item['tags']) =>
+        itemTags.length
+          ? itemTags.map(tag => <Tag key={tag.id} color={tag.color}>{tag.name}</Tag>)
+          : null
+    },
     { title: 'Price', dataIndex: 'price_cents', render: (v: number) => `$${(v / 100).toFixed(2)}` },
     {
       title: 'Status',
@@ -129,6 +186,27 @@ function Inventory() {
             <Form.Item name="price" label="Price (USD)" rules={[{ required: true }]}>
               <InputNumber min={0} step={0.01} style={{ width: '100%' }} />
             </Form.Item>
+            <Form.Item name="category_id" label="Category">
+              <TreeSelect
+                allowClear
+                placeholder="Uncategorized"
+                treeDefaultExpandAll
+                treeData={toCategoryTreeData(buildCategoryTree(categories))}
+                style={{ width: '100%' }}
+              />
+            </Form.Item>
+            <Form.Item
+              name="tags"
+              label="Tags"
+              extra="Pick existing tags or type a new one and press Enter to create it."
+            >
+              <Select
+                mode="tags"
+                placeholder="Add tags"
+                style={{ width: '100%' }}
+                options={tags.map(tag => ({ value: tag.name, label: tag.name }))}
+              />
+            </Form.Item>
             {editingItem && editingItem.images.length > 0 && (
               <Form.Item label="Existing Images (front / back / etc.)">
                 <Space wrap>
@@ -172,6 +250,8 @@ export default function Admin() {
           defaultActiveKey="inventory"
           items={[
             { key: 'inventory', label: 'Inventory', children: <Inventory /> },
+            { key: 'categories', label: 'Categories', children: <Categories /> },
+            { key: 'tags', label: 'Tags', children: <Tags /> },
             { key: 'customers', label: 'Customers', children: <Customers /> },
             { key: 'settings', label: 'Settings', children: <Settings /> }
           ]}
diff --git a/frontend/src/admin/Categories.tsx b/frontend/src/admin/Categories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07f047a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/admin/Categories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,251 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import type { Key } from 'react';
+import Tree from 'antd/lib/tree';
+import Button from 'antd/lib/button';
+import Input from 'antd/lib/input';
+import Modal from 'antd/lib/modal';
+import Select from 'antd/lib/select';
+import Space from 'antd/lib/space';
+import Typography from 'antd/lib/typography';
+import Empty from 'antd/lib/empty';
+import Spin from 'antd/lib/spin';
+import message from 'antd/lib/message';
+import type { DataNode, TreeProps } from 'antd/es/tree';
+import {
+  Category,
+  fetchAdminCategories,
+  createCategory,
+  updateCategory,
+  deleteCategory
+} from '../api';
+import { buildCategoryTree, categoryPath, CategoryNode } from '../filters';
+
+const { Title, Text } = Typography;
+
+// Counts the whole branch, so the delete confirmation can say what a parent
+// takes down with it rather than only naming itself.
+function branchTotals(node: CategoryNode): { categories: number; items: number } {
+  return node.children.reduce(
+    (acc, child) => {
+      const nested = branchTotals(child);
+      return { categories: acc.categories + nested.categories, items: acc.items + nested.items };
+    },
+    { categories: 1, items: node.item_count }
+  );
+}
+
+function findNode(nodes: CategoryNode[], id: number): CategoryNode | null {
+  for (const node of nodes) {
+    if (node.id === id) return node;
+    const nested = findNode(node.children, id);
+    if (nested) return nested;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+export default function Categories() {
+  const [categories, setCategories] = useState<Category[]>([]);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [modalOpen, setModalOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [editing, setEditing] = useState<Category | null>(null);
+  const [name, setName] = useState('');
+  const [parentId, setParentId] = useState<number | null>(null);
+  // The tree stays mounted across reloads, so `defaultExpandAll` would only
+  // ever apply to the categories present on first render — a branch added
+  // afterwards would render collapsed and its children be unreachable.
+  const [expandedKeys, setExpandedKeys] = useState<Key[]>([]);
+  const expansionInitialized = useRef(false);
+
+  const tree = buildCategoryTree(categories);
+
+  function expand(id: number) {
+    setExpandedKeys((keys) => (keys.includes(id) ? keys : [...keys, id]));
+  }
+
+  function load() {
+    setLoading(true);
+    return fetchAdminCategories()
+      .then((list) => {
+        setCategories(list);
+        // Start fully expanded, then leave expansion to the user — reloading
+        // must not silently re-open branches they collapsed.
+        if (!expansionInitialized.current) {
+          setExpandedKeys(list.map((category) => category.id));
+          expansionInitialized.current = true;
+        }
+      })
+      .finally(() => setLoading(false));
+  }
+
+  useEffect(() => { load(); }, []);
+
+  function openNew(parent: number | null) {
+    setEditing(null);
+    setName('');
+    setParentId(parent);
+    setModalOpen(true);
+  }
+
+  function openEdit(category: Category) {
+    setEditing(category);
+    setName(category.name);
+    setParentId(category.parent_id);
+    setModalOpen(true);
+  }
+
+  async function handleSave() {
+    const trimmed = name.trim();
+    if (!trimmed) {
+      message.error('Name is required');
+      return;
+    }
+    try {
+      if (editing) {
+        await updateCategory(editing.id, { name: trimmed, parent_id: parentId });
+        message.success('Category updated');
+      } else {
+        await createCategory(trimmed, parentId);
+        message.success('Category added');
+      }
+      // Reveal where the category just landed instead of filing it out of sight.
+      if (parentId !== null) expand(parentId);
+      setModalOpen(false);
+      load();
+    } catch (err) {
+      message.error((err as Error).message);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function handleDelete(category: Category) {
+    const node = findNode(tree, category.id);
+    const totals = node ? branchTotals(node) : { categories: 1, items: category.item_count };
+    const subcategories = totals.categories - 1;
+
+    Modal.confirm({
+      title: `Delete "${category.name}"?`,
+      content: (
+        <span>
+          This deletes {subcategories === 0 ? 'no subcategories' : `${subcategories} subcategor${subcategories === 1 ? 'y' : 'ies'}`}
+          {' '}and uncategorizes {totals.items} item{totals.items === 1 ? '' : 's'}. The items themselves are kept.
+        </span>
+      ),
+      okText: 'Delete',
+      okButtonProps: { danger: true },
+      onOk: async () => {
+        const result = await deleteCategory(category.id);
+        message.success(
+          `Deleted ${result.deleted_categories} categor${result.deleted_categories === 1 ? 'y' : 'ies'}, ` +
+          `uncategorized ${result.uncategorized_items} item${result.uncategorized_items === 1 ? '' : 's'}`
+        );
+        load();
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Dragging a node onto another reparents it. The server rejects a move that
+  // would put a node beneath its own descendant, so a refused drop just
+  // reloads the unchanged tree.
+  const handleDrop: TreeProps['onDrop'] = async (info) => {
+    const dragId = Number(info.dragNode.key);
+    const dropId = Number(info.node.key);
+    const dropToGap = !info.dropToGap ? dropId : findNode(tree, dropId)?.parent_id ?? null;
+
+    try {
+      await updateCategory(dragId, { parent_id: dropToGap });
+      if (dropToGap !== null) expand(dropToGap);
+      message.success('Category moved');
+    } catch (err) {
+      message.error((err as Error).message);
+    }
+    load();
+  };
+
+  function toTreeData(nodes: CategoryNode[]): DataNode[] {
+    return nodes.map((node) => ({
+      key: node.id,
+      title: (
+        <span className="admin-category-node">
+          <span>{node.name}</span>
+          <Text type="secondary" style={{ fontSize: 12 }}>
+            {node.item_count} item{node.item_count === 1 ? '' : 's'}
+          </Text>
+          <Space size={4} onClick={(event) => event.stopPropagation()}>
+            <Button size="small" type="link" onClick={() => openNew(node.id)}>Add child</Button>
+            <Button size="small" type="link" onClick={() => openEdit(node)}>Rename</Button>
+            <Button size="small" type="link" danger onClick={() => handleDelete(node)}>Delete</Button>
+          </Space>
+        </span>
+      ),
+      children: node.children.length ? toTreeData(node.children) : undefined
+    }));
+  }
+
+  // A category may not be moved beneath itself or its own descendants, so those
+  // options are withheld from the parent picker too.
+  const forbidden = new Set<number>();
+  if (editing) {
+    const collect = (node: CategoryNode) => {
+      forbidden.add(node.id);
+      node.children.forEach(collect);
+    };
+    const node = findNode(tree, editing.id);
+    if (node) collect(node);
+  }
+
+  const parentOptions = [
+    { value: null as number | null, label: 'No parent (top level)' },
+    ...categories
+      .filter((category) => !forbidden.has(category.id))
+      .map((category) => ({ value: category.id as number | null, label: categoryPath(categories, category.id) }))
+  ];
+
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center', marginBottom: 16, flexWrap: 'wrap', gap: 8 }}>
+        <Title level={4} style={{ margin: 0 }}>Categories</Title>
+        <Button type="primary" onClick={() => openNew(null)}>Add Category</Button>
+      </div>
+
+      {loading && !categories.length ? <Spin /> : null}
+      {!loading && !categories.length ? (
+        <Empty description="No categories yet. Add one to start organizing items." />
+      ) : (
+        <Tree
+          treeData={toTreeData(tree)}
+          draggable
+          blockNode
+          expandedKeys={expandedKeys}
+          onExpand={setExpandedKeys}
+          selectable={false}
+          onDrop={handleDrop}
+        />
+      )}
+
+      <Modal
+        title={editing ? 'Edit Category' : 'Add Category'}
+        open={modalOpen}
+        onOk={handleSave}
+        onCancel={() => setModalOpen(false)}
+        destroyOnHidden
+      >
+        <Space direction="vertical" style={{ width: '100%' }}>
+          <label htmlFor="category-name">Name</label>
+          <Input
+            id="category-name"
+            value={name}
+            onChange={(event) => setName(event.target.value)}
+            onPressEnter={handleSave}
+          />
+          <label htmlFor="category-parent">Parent</label>
+          <Select
+            id="category-parent"
+            style={{ width: '100%' }}
+            value={parentId}
+            onChange={setParentId}
+            options={parentOptions}
+          />
+        </Space>
+      </Modal>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/admin/Tags.tsx b/frontend/src/admin/Tags.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ff929d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/admin/Tags.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import Table from 'antd/lib/table';
+import Button from 'antd/lib/button';
+import Input from 'antd/lib/input';
+import Modal from 'antd/lib/modal';
+import Select from 'antd/lib/select';
+import Space from 'antd/lib/space';
+import Tag from 'antd/lib/tag';
+import Typography from 'antd/lib/typography';
+import message from 'antd/lib/message';
+import type { ColumnsType } from 'antd/es/table';
+import { Tag as TagRecord, fetchAdminTags, createTag, updateTag, deleteTag } from '../api';
+
+const { Title } = Typography;
+
+// Mirrors TAG_COLORS in the backend's utils.ts — the server rejects anything
+// outside this set, so the two lists have to stay aligned.
+const TAG_COLORS = [
+  'magenta', 'red', 'volcano', 'orange', 'gold', 'lime',
+  'green', 'cyan', 'blue', 'geekblue', 'purple'
+];
+
+export default function Tags() {
+  const [tags, setTags] = useState<TagRecord[]>([]);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [modalOpen, setModalOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [editing, setEditing] = useState<TagRecord | null>(null);
+  const [name, setName] = useState('');
+  const [color, setColor] = useState<string>(TAG_COLORS[0]);
+
+  function load() {
+    setLoading(true);
+    return fetchAdminTags()
+      .then(setTags)
+      .finally(() => setLoading(false));
+  }
+
+  useEffect(() => { load(); }, []);
+
+  function openNew() {
+    setEditing(null);
+    setName('');
+    setColor(TAG_COLORS[0]);
+    setModalOpen(true);
+  }
+
+  function openEdit(tag: TagRecord) {
+    setEditing(tag);
+    setName(tag.name);
+    setColor(tag.color);
+    setModalOpen(true);
+  }
+
+  async function handleSave() {
+    const trimmed = name.trim();
+    if (!trimmed) {
+      message.error('Name is required');
+      return;
+    }
+    try {
+      if (editing) {
+        await updateTag(editing.id, { name: trimmed, color });
+        message.success('Tag updated');
+      } else {
+        // New tags take the colour the server derives from the name; it can be
+        // overridden straight afterwards by editing.
+        await createTag(trimmed);
+        message.success('Tag added');
+      }
+      setModalOpen(false);
+      load();
+    } catch (err) {
+      message.error((err as Error).message);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function handleDelete(tag: TagRecord) {
+    Modal.confirm({
+      title: `Delete "${tag.name}"?`,
+      content: `This removes the tag from ${tag.item_count} item${tag.item_count === 1 ? '' : 's'}. The items themselves are kept.`,
+      okText: 'Delete',
+      okButtonProps: { danger: true },
+      onOk: async () => {
+        await deleteTag(tag.id);
+        message.success('Tag deleted');
+        load();
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  const columns: ColumnsType<TagRecord> = [
+    {
+      title: 'Tag',
+      dataIndex: 'name',
+      render: (_: string, tag) => <Tag color={tag.color}>{tag.name}</Tag>
+    },
+    { title: 'Colour', dataIndex: 'color' },
+    { title: 'Items', dataIndex: 'item_count' },
+    {
+      title: 'Actions',
+      render: (_: unknown, tag) => (
+        <Space>
+          <Button size="small" onClick={() => openEdit(tag)}>Edit</Button>
+          <Button size="small" danger onClick={() => handleDelete(tag)}>Delete</Button>
+        </Space>
+      )
+    }
+  ];
+
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center', marginBottom: 16, flexWrap: 'wrap', gap: 8 }}>
+        <Title level={4} style={{ margin: 0 }}>Tags</Title>
+        <Button type="primary" onClick={openNew}>Add Tag</Button>
+      </div>
+
+      <Table rowKey="id" dataSource={tags} columns={columns} loading={loading} scroll={{ x: true }} />
+
+      <Modal
+        title={editing ? 'Edit Tag' : 'Add Tag'}
+        open={modalOpen}
+        onOk={handleSave}
+        onCancel={() => setModalOpen(false)}
+        destroyOnHidden
+      >
+        <Space direction="vertical" style={{ width: '100%' }}>
+          <label htmlFor="tag-name">Name</label>
+          <Input
+            id="tag-name"
+            value={name}
+            onChange={(event) => setName(event.target.value)}
+            onPressEnter={handleSave}
+          />
+          {editing && (
+            <>
+              <label htmlFor="tag-color">Colour</label>
+              <Select
+                id="tag-color"
+                style={{ width: '100%' }}
+                value={color}
+                onChange={setColor}
+                options={TAG_COLORS.map((option) => ({
+                  value: option,
+                  label: <Tag color={option}>{option}</Tag>
+                }))}
+              />
+            </>
+          )}
+        </Space>
+      </Modal>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/api.ts b/frontend/src/api.ts
index 2cc39cc..4fc2811 100755
--- a/frontend/src/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/api.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+import type { ItemFilters } from './filters';
+import { filtersToSearchParams } from './filters';
+
+export interface ItemTag {
+  id: number;
+  name: string;
+  color: string;
+}
+
 export interface Item {
   id: number;
   name: string;
@@ -5,6 +14,30 @@ export interface Item {
   price_cents: number;
   images: { id: number; image_path: string; sort_order: number }[];
   status: 'available' | 'reserved' | 'sold';
+  category_id: number | null;
+  category_name: string | null;
+  tags: ItemTag[];
+}
+
+export interface Category {
+  id: number;
+  name: string;
+  parent_id: number | null;
+  sort_order: number;
+  item_count: number;
+}
+
+export interface Tag {
+  id: number;
+  name: string;
+  color: string;
+  item_count: number;
+}
+
+export interface FilterOptions {
+  categories: Category[];
+  tags: Tag[];
+  priceRange: { min_cents: number; max_cents: number };
 }
 
 export interface SiteConfig {
@@ -18,8 +51,14 @@ export async function fetchConfig(): Promise<SiteConfig> {
   return res.json();
 }
 
-export async function fetchItems(): Promise<Item[]> {
-  const res = await fetch('/api/items');
+export async function fetchItems(filters?: ItemFilters): Promise<Item[]> {
+  const query = filters ? filtersToSearchParams(filters).toString() : '';
+  const res = await fetch(query ? `/api/items?${query}` : '/api/items');
+  return res.json();
+}
+
+export async function fetchFilterOptions(): Promise<FilterOptions> {
+  const res = await fetch('/api/filters');
   return res.json();
 }
 
@@ -51,3 +90,58 @@ export async function markAvailable(id: number): Promise<Item> {
   const res = await fetch(`/api/admin/items/${id}/mark-available`, { method: 'POST' });
   return res.json();
 }
+
+// The admin endpoints return a JSON error body on 4xx; surfacing its message
+// lets the UI say "that name is already used here" instead of a generic
+// failure.
+async function sendJson<T>(url: string, method: string, body?: unknown): Promise<T> {
+  const res = await fetch(url, {
+    method,
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: body === undefined ? undefined : JSON.stringify(body)
+  });
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    const detail = await res.json().catch(() => ({ error: 'request failed' }));
+    throw new Error(detail.error || 'request failed');
+  }
+  return res.status === 204 ? (undefined as T) : res.json();
+}
+
+export async function fetchAdminCategories(): Promise<Category[]> {
+  const res = await fetch('/api/admin/categories');
+  return res.json();
+}
+
+export function createCategory(name: string, parentId: number | null): Promise<Category> {
+  return sendJson('/api/admin/categories', 'POST', { name, parent_id: parentId });
+}
+
+export function updateCategory(
+  id: number,
+  changes: { name?: string; parent_id?: number | null }
+): Promise<Category> {
+  return sendJson(`/api/admin/categories/${id}`, 'PUT', changes);
+}
+
+export function deleteCategory(
+  id: number
+): Promise<{ deleted_categories: number; uncategorized_items: number }> {
+  return sendJson(`/api/admin/categories/${id}`, 'DELETE');
+}
+
+export async function fetchAdminTags(): Promise<Tag[]> {
+  const res = await fetch('/api/admin/tags');
+  return res.json();
+}
+
+export function createTag(name: string): Promise<Tag> {
+  return sendJson('/api/admin/tags', 'POST', { name });
+}
+
+export function updateTag(id: number, changes: { name?: string; color?: string }): Promise<Tag> {
+  return sendJson(`/api/admin/tags/${id}`, 'PUT', changes);
+}
+
+export function deleteTag(id: number): Promise<void> {
+  return sendJson(`/api/admin/tags/${id}`, 'DELETE');
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ActiveFilterChips.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ActiveFilterChips.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d713fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ActiveFilterChips.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import Tag from 'antd/lib/tag';
+import Button from 'antd/lib/button';
+import type { FilterOptions } from '../api';
+import { ItemFilters, categoryPath, formatPriceRange, hasActiveFilters } from '../filters';
+
+interface Props {
+  options: FilterOptions | null;
+  filters: ItemFilters;
+  onChange: (filters: ItemFilters) => void;
+  onClear: () => void;
+}
+
+export default function ActiveFilterChips({ options, filters, onChange, onClear }: Props) {
+  if (!hasActiveFilters(filters)) return null;
+
+  const categories = options?.categories ?? [];
+  const tags = options?.tags ?? [];
+
+  const chips: { key: string; label: string; onRemove: () => void }[] = [];
+
+  if (filters.categoryId !== null) {
+    const path = categoryPath(categories, filters.categoryId);
+    // Falls back to the raw id while /api/filters is still loading, so the chip
+    // never renders as an empty box.
+    const label = path || `Category ${filters.categoryId}`;
+    chips.push({
+      key: `category-${filters.categoryId}`,
+      // The removable name is the leaf, matching what the user clicked in the
+      // tree, while the chip itself shows the full path for context.
+      label,
+      onRemove: () => onChange({ ...filters, categoryId: null })
+    });
+  }
+
+  for (const tagId of filters.tagIds) {
+    const tag = tags.find((candidate) => candidate.id === tagId);
+    chips.push({
+      key: `tag-${tagId}`,
+      label: tag?.name ?? `Tag ${tagId}`,
+      onRemove: () => onChange({ ...filters, tagIds: filters.tagIds.filter((id) => id !== tagId) })
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (filters.minPriceCents !== null || filters.maxPriceCents !== null) {
+    chips.push({
+      key: 'price',
+      label: formatPriceRange(filters.minPriceCents, filters.maxPriceCents),
+      onRemove: () => onChange({ ...filters, minPriceCents: null, maxPriceCents: null })
+    });
+  }
+
+  return (
+    // Named as a group so the chip row's own "Clear all" stays distinguishable
+    // from the identically-labelled one in the filter drawer.
+    <div className="active-filter-chips" role="group" aria-label="Active filters">
+      {chips.map((chip) => (
+        <Tag
+          key={chip.key}
+          closable
+          onClose={(event) => {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            chip.onRemove();
+          }}
+          // antd renders the close control as an icon with no text, so name it
+          // for screen readers and for anything driving the page by role.
+          closeIcon={
+            <span role="button" aria-label={`Remove filter ${chip.label.split(' / ').pop()}`}>×</span>
+          }
+        >
+          {chip.label}
+        </Tag>
+      ))}
+      <Button size="small" type="link" onClick={onClear}>Clear all</Button>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FilterDrawer.tsx b/frontend/src/components/FilterDrawer.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24edddd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FilterDrawer.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+import Drawer from 'antd/lib/drawer';
+import Button from 'antd/lib/button';
+import Tree from 'antd/lib/tree';
+import Tag from 'antd/lib/tag';
+import Slider from 'antd/lib/slider';
+import InputNumber from 'antd/lib/input-number';
+import Empty from 'antd/lib/empty';
+import Grid from 'antd/lib/grid';
+import type { DataNode } from 'antd/es/tree';
+import type { FilterOptions } from '../api';
+import { ItemFilters, buildCategoryTree, CategoryNode } from '../filters';
+
+interface Props {
+  open: boolean;
+  onClose: () => void;
+  options: FilterOptions | null;
+  filters: ItemFilters;
+  onChange: (filters: ItemFilters) => void;
+  onClear: () => void;
+  resultCount: number;
+}
+
+function toTreeData(nodes: CategoryNode[]): DataNode[] {
+  return nodes.map((node) => ({
+    key: node.id,
+    title: node.name,
+    children: node.children.length ? toTreeData(node.children) : undefined
+  }));
+}
+
+const centsToDollars = (cents: number | null): number | null => (cents === null ? null : cents / 100);
+const dollarsToCents = (dollars: number | null): number | null =>
+  dollars === null || Number.isNaN(dollars) ? null : Math.round(dollars * 100);
+
+export default function FilterDrawer({
+  open,
+  onClose,
+  options,
+  filters,
+  onChange,
+  onClear,
+  resultCount
+}: Props) {
+  const screens = Grid.useBreakpoint();
+  const categories = options?.categories ?? [];
+  const tags = options?.tags ?? [];
+  const bounds = options?.priceRange ?? { min_cents: 0, max_cents: 0 };
+
+  function toggleTag(tagId: number) {
+    const next = filters.tagIds.includes(tagId)
+      ? filters.tagIds.filter((id) => id !== tagId)
+      : [...filters.tagIds, tagId];
+    onChange({ ...filters, tagIds: next });
+  }
+
+  // Selecting the already-selected node clears the filter, so the tree doubles
+  // as its own "all items" control.
+  function selectCategory(keys: React.Key[]) {
+    const picked = keys.length ? Number(keys[0]) : null;
+    onChange({ ...filters, categoryId: picked === filters.categoryId ? null : picked });
+  }
+
+  const sliderMax = Math.max(bounds.max_cents, bounds.min_cents + 100);
+
+  return (
+    <Drawer
+      title="Filters"
+      placement="right"
+      open={open}
+      onClose={onClose}
+      // Unmounting on close keeps a single copy of controls like "Clear all" in
+      // the document at any time.
+      destroyOnHidden
+      width={screens.md ? 380 : '90%'}
+      footer={
+        <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8 }}>
+          <Button block onClick={onClear}>Clear all</Button>
+          <Button block type="primary" onClick={onClose}>
+            Show {resultCount} {resultCount === 1 ? 'item' : 'items'}
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      }
+    >
+      <section style={{ marginBottom: 28 }}>
+        <h4 style={{ margin: '0 0 8px', fontSize: 12, letterSpacing: '.06em', textTransform: 'uppercase', opacity: 0.65 }}>
+          Category
+        </h4>
+        {categories.length ? (
+          <Tree
+            treeData={toTreeData(buildCategoryTree(categories))}
+            selectedKeys={filters.categoryId === null ? [] : [filters.categoryId]}
+            onSelect={selectCategory}
+            defaultExpandAll
+            blockNode
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <Empty image={Empty.PRESENTED_IMAGE_SIMPLE} description="No categories yet" />
+        )}
+      </section>
+
+      <section style={{ marginBottom: 28 }}>
+        <h4 style={{ margin: '0 0 8px', fontSize: 12, letterSpacing: '.06em', textTransform: 'uppercase', opacity: 0.65 }}>
+          Tags — must have all
+        </h4>
+        {tags.length ? (
+          <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexWrap: 'wrap', gap: 6 }}>
+            {tags.map((tag) => {
+              const selected = filters.tagIds.includes(tag.id);
+              return (
+                // A real button rather than a styled span, so the pills are
+                // reachable by keyboard and announce their on/off state.
+                <button
+                  key={tag.id}
+                  type="button"
+                  aria-pressed={selected}
+                  onClick={() => toggleTag(tag.id)}
+                  style={{ background: 'none', border: 'none', padding: 0, cursor: 'pointer' }}
+                >
+                  <Tag
+                    color={selected ? tag.color : undefined}
+                    style={{ margin: 0, opacity: selected ? 1 : 0.75 }}
+                  >
+                    {tag.name}
+                  </Tag>
+                </button>
+              );
+            })}
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          <Empty image={Empty.PRESENTED_IMAGE_SIMPLE} description="No tags yet" />
+        )}
+      </section>
+
+      <section>
+        <h4 style={{ margin: '0 0 8px', fontSize: 12, letterSpacing: '.06em', textTransform: 'uppercase', opacity: 0.65 }}>
+          Price
+        </h4>
+        <Slider
+          range
+          min={bounds.min_cents}
+          max={sliderMax}
+          step={100}
+          value={[filters.minPriceCents ?? bounds.min_cents, filters.maxPriceCents ?? sliderMax]}
+          tooltip={{ formatter: (value) => `$${((value ?? 0) / 100).toFixed(0)}` }}
+          onChange={([min, max]) =>
+            onChange({ ...filters, minPriceCents: min, maxPriceCents: max })
+          }
+        />
+        <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 8, marginTop: 8 }}>
+          <InputNumber
+            aria-label="Minimum price"
+            prefix="$"
+            min={0}
+            style={{ width: '100%' }}
+            value={centsToDollars(filters.minPriceCents)}
+            onChange={(value) => onChange({ ...filters, minPriceCents: dollarsToCents(value) })}
+          />
+          <span style={{ opacity: 0.6 }}>to</span>
+          <InputNumber
+            aria-label="Maximum price"
+            prefix="$"
+            min={0}
+            style={{ width: '100%' }}
+            value={centsToDollars(filters.maxPriceCents)}
+            onChange={(value) => onChange({ ...filters, maxPriceCents: dollarsToCents(value) })}
+          />
+        </div>
+      </section>
+    </Drawer>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ItemCard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ItemCard.tsx
index 31095b6..fbfaabe 100755
--- a/frontend/src/components/ItemCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ItemCard.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useRef } from 'react';
-import { Card, Badge, Typography, Carousel, Button, message } from 'antd';
+import { Card, Badge, Typography, Carousel, Button, message, Tag } from 'antd';
 import { LeftOutlined, RightOutlined } from '@ant-design/icons';
 import type { CarouselRef } from 'antd/es/carousel';
 import { Item } from '../api';
@@ -88,7 +88,15 @@ export default function ItemCard({ item, onChanged }: Props) {
   const card = (
     <Card hoverable cover={cover} className="item-card">
       <Title level={5} style={{ marginBottom: 4 }}>{item.name}</Title>
+      {item.category_name && <Text type="secondary" className="item-category">{item.category_name}</Text>}
       <MarkdownView content={item.description} />
+      {item.tags.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="item-tags">
+          {item.tags.map(tag => (
+            <Tag key={tag.id} color={tag.color} style={{ marginInlineEnd: 4 }}>{tag.name}</Tag>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      )}
       <div className="price">${(item.price_cents / 100).toFixed(2)}</div>
       {actionButton}
       <AuthPromptModal
diff --git a/frontend/src/filters.ts b/frontend/src/filters.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf2a10e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/filters.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import type { Category } from './api';
+
+export interface ItemFilters {
+  categoryId: number | null;
+  tagIds: number[];
+  minPriceCents: number | null;
+  maxPriceCents: number | null;
+}
+
+export const EMPTY_FILTERS: ItemFilters = {
+  categoryId: null,
+  tagIds: [],
+  minPriceCents: null,
+  maxPriceCents: null
+};
+
+// Filters live in the URL so a filtered view can be linked, bookmarked, and
+// walked back through with the browser's back button. The param names match
+// what GET /api/items accepts, so the same object serializes for both.
+export function filtersToSearchParams(filters: ItemFilters): URLSearchParams {
+  const params = new URLSearchParams();
+  if (filters.categoryId !== null) params.set('category', String(filters.categoryId));
+  if (filters.tagIds.length) params.set('tags', filters.tagIds.join(','));
+  if (filters.minPriceCents !== null) params.set('min_price', String(filters.minPriceCents));
+  if (filters.maxPriceCents !== null) params.set('max_price', String(filters.maxPriceCents));
+  return params;
+}
+
+function readInt(raw: string | null): number | null {
+  if (raw === null || raw.trim() === '') return null;
+  const parsed = Number(raw);
+  return Number.isSafeInteger(parsed) && parsed >= 0 ? parsed : null;
+}
+
+export function filtersFromSearchParams(params: URLSearchParams): ItemFilters {
+  const tags = (params.get('tags') || '')
+    .split(',')
+    .map((part) => readInt(part))
+    .filter((id): id is number => id !== null && id > 0);
+
+  return {
+    categoryId: readInt(params.get('category')),
+    tagIds: tags,
+    minPriceCents: readInt(params.get('min_price')),
+    maxPriceCents: readInt(params.get('max_price'))
+  };
+}
+
+// One count for the "Filters (N)" button. A price range counts once however
+// many ends are set, since it reads as a single filter to the user.
+export function activeFilterCount(filters: ItemFilters): number {
+  let count = 0;
+  if (filters.categoryId !== null) count++;
+  count += filters.tagIds.length;
+  if (filters.minPriceCents !== null || filters.maxPriceCents !== null) count++;
+  return count;
+}
+
+export function hasActiveFilters(filters: ItemFilters): boolean {
+  return activeFilterCount(filters) > 0;
+}
+
+export interface CategoryNode extends Category {
+  children: CategoryNode[];
+}
+
+// The API returns categories flat; the tree is rebuilt here so the drawer and
+// the admin tab share one nesting implementation.
+export function buildCategoryTree(categories: Category[]): CategoryNode[] {
+  const byId = new Map<number, CategoryNode>();
+  for (const category of categories) {
+    byId.set(category.id, { ...category, children: [] });
+  }
+
+  const roots: CategoryNode[] = [];
+  for (const node of byId.values()) {
+    const parent = node.parent_id === null ? undefined : byId.get(node.parent_id);
+    // A node whose parent is missing is treated as a root rather than dropped,
+    // so nothing can silently disappear from the tree.
+    if (parent) {
+      parent.children.push(node);
+    } else {
+      roots.push(node);
+    }
+  }
+  return roots;
+}
+
+// "Furniture / Tables / Coffee Tables" — used on chips and in the admin form so
+// a leaf name like "Vintage" isn't ambiguous between branches.
+export function categoryPath(categories: Category[], id: number): string {
+  const byId = new Map(categories.map((category) => [category.id, category]));
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+  let current = byId.get(id);
+  while (current) {
+    parts.unshift(current.name);
+    current = current.parent_id === null ? undefined : byId.get(current.parent_id);
+    // Guards against a cycle that somehow reached the client.
+    if (parts.length > 32) break;
+  }
+  return parts.join(' / ');
+}
+
+export function formatPriceRange(minCents: number | null, maxCents: number | null): string {
+  const dollars = (cents: number) => `$${(cents / 100).toFixed(0)}`;
+  if (minCents !== null && maxCents !== null) return `${dollars(minCents)}–${dollars(maxCents)}`;
+  if (minCents !== null) return `${dollars(minCents)}+`;
+  if (maxCents !== null) return `Up to ${dollars(maxCents)}`;
+  return '';
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles.css b/frontend/src/styles.css
index 78d3dc2..4578d37 100755
--- a/frontend/src/styles.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles.css
@@ -72,4 +72,46 @@ body { margin: 0; }
     padding-right: 10px;
     font-size: 13px;
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+/* Filter bar: the Filters button sits inline with the active-filter chips on
+   desktop; on a narrow screen the chips wrap onto their own line beneath it. */
+.filter-bar {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  gap: 8px;
+  margin-bottom: 16px;
+}
+
+.active-filter-chips {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  gap: 4px;
+}
+
+.active-filter-chips .ant-tag {
+  margin-inline-end: 0;
+}
+
+.item-category {
+  display: block;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  margin-bottom: 6px;
+}
+
+.item-tags {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  gap: 4px 0;
+  margin: 8px 0 4px;
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 575px) {
+  .filter-bar {
+    align-items: flex-start;
+  }
+  .filter-bar > .ant-btn {
+    width: 100%;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/frontend/tests/e2e/admin-taxonomy.spec.ts b/frontend/tests/e2e/admin-taxonomy.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f99c4f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/tests/e2e/admin-taxonomy.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+// The e2e database is shared and never reset, so every fixture name carries a
+// unique suffix and assertions are scoped to the nodes this run created. The
+// suffix is generated per test rather than per module: a worker can run this
+// file more than once, and a module-level constant would collide with itself.
+const suffix = () => `a${Date.now().toString(36)}${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 7)}`;
+
+test.describe('Admin taxonomy', () => {
+  test('creates a category and a nested child that stays visible', async ({ page }) => {
+    const RUN = suffix();
+    await page.goto('/admin');
+    await page.getByRole('tab', { name: 'Categories' }).click();
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Add Category' }).click();
+    await page.getByLabel('Name').fill(`Furniture ${RUN}`);
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'OK' }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByText(`Furniture ${RUN}`)).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page
+      .getByRole('treeitem')
+      .filter({ hasText: `Furniture ${RUN}` })
+      .getByRole('button', { name: 'Add child' })
+      .click();
+    await page.getByLabel('Name').fill(`Tables ${RUN}`);
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'OK' }).click();
+
+    // The tree is mounted before this branch exists, so the child is only
+    // visible if expansion follows newly created nodes rather than the state
+    // captured at first render.
+    await expect(page.getByText(`Tables ${RUN}`)).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
+  test('creates a tag with an automatically assigned colour', async ({ page }) => {
+    const RUN = suffix();
+    await page.goto('/admin');
+    await page.getByRole('tab', { name: 'Tags' }).click();
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Add Tag' }).click();
+    await page.getByLabel('Name').fill(`vintage-${RUN}`);
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'OK' }).click();
+    // Clicking OK only dispatches the request; wait for the confirmation so the
+    // lookup below can't race the create.
+    await expect(page.getByText('Tag added')).toBeVisible();
+
+    // The table paginates and the shared database holds many tags, so the new
+    // row is confirmed through the API rather than hunted for across pages.
+    const tags = await (await page.request.get('/api/admin/tags')).json();
+    const created = tags.find((tag: { name: string }) => tag.name === `vintage-${RUN}`);
+    expect(created).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(created.color).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  test('offers category and tag fields on the item form', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/admin');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Add Item' }).click();
+
+    const modal = page.getByRole('dialog');
+    await expect(modal.getByText('Category', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(modal.getByText('Pick existing tags')).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/tests/e2e/filters.spec.ts b/frontend/tests/e2e/filters.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e53dba7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/tests/e2e/filters.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+import { test, expect, APIRequestContext } from '@playwright/test';
+
+// The storefront shows every item ever seeded, and the e2e database is not
+// reset between runs. Every fixture below is therefore suffixed with a unique
+// run id so assertions can name exactly the items this run created.
+// Playwright runs beforeAll once per worker, so the suffix mixes a timestamp
+// with randomness — two workers starting in the same millisecond would
+// otherwise seed colliding category names and 409 against each other.
+const RUN = `f${Date.now().toString(36)}${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 7)}`;
+
+const NAMES = {
+  furniture: `Furniture ${RUN}`,
+  tables: `Tables ${RUN}`,
+  decor: `Decor ${RUN}`,
+  vintage: `vintage-${RUN}`,
+  oak: `oak-${RUN}`,
+  deepItem: `Deep table ${RUN}`,
+  midItem: `Mid chair ${RUN}`,
+  otherItem: `Wall art ${RUN}`,
+  dearItem: `Dear cabinet ${RUN}`
+};
+
+async function createCategory(api: APIRequestContext, name: string, parentId: number | null) {
+  const res = await api.post('/api/admin/categories', { data: { name, parent_id: parentId } });
+  expect(res.status()).toBe(201);
+  return (await res.json()).id as number;
+}
+
+async function createTag(api: APIRequestContext, name: string) {
+  const res = await api.post('/api/admin/tags', { data: { name } });
+  expect(res.status()).toBe(201);
+  return (await res.json()).id as number;
+}
+
+async function createItem(
+  api: APIRequestContext,
+  name: string,
+  price: string,
+  categoryId: number | null,
+  tags: string[]
+) {
+  const res = await api.post('/api/admin/items', {
+    multipart: {
+      name,
+      description: '',
+      price,
+      category_id: categoryId === null ? '' : String(categoryId),
+      tags: JSON.stringify(tags)
+    }
+  });
+  expect(res.ok()).toBeTruthy();
+}
+
+test.beforeAll(async ({ playwright }) => {
+  const api = await playwright.request.newContext({ baseURL: 'http://localhost:5173' });
+
+  // A worker can be handed tests from this file in more than one batch, which
+  // re-runs beforeAll against the module-cached suffix. Seeding twice would
+  // collide on the category names and duplicate every item, so re-entry is a
+  // no-op once the fixtures are in place.
+  const alreadySeeded = ((await (await api.get('/api/admin/categories')).json()) as { name: string }[])
+    .some((category) => category.name === NAMES.furniture);
+  if (alreadySeeded) {
+    await api.dispose();
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const furniture = await createCategory(api, NAMES.furniture, null);
+  const tables = await createCategory(api, NAMES.tables, furniture);
+  const decor = await createCategory(api, NAMES.decor, null);
+  await createTag(api, NAMES.vintage);
+  await createTag(api, NAMES.oak);
+
+  // Filed one level below the category the tests select, to prove descendant
+  // matching rather than an exact-node match.
+  await createItem(api, NAMES.deepItem, '340', tables, [NAMES.vintage, NAMES.oak]);
+  await createItem(api, NAMES.midItem, '120', furniture, [NAMES.vintage]);
+  await createItem(api, NAMES.otherItem, '90', decor, [NAMES.vintage, NAMES.oak]);
+  await createItem(api, NAMES.dearItem, '5000', tables, [NAMES.vintage, NAMES.oak]);
+
+  await api.dispose();
+});
+
+function card(page: import('@playwright/test').Page, name: string) {
+  return page.getByRole('heading', { name });
+}
+
+test.describe('Storefront filters', () => {
+  test('filters by category, including everything filed beneath it', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.otherItem)).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('treeitem', { name: NAMES.furniture }).click();
+
+    // Both the item filed directly in Furniture and the one nested under
+    // Furniture > Tables must survive.
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.midItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.otherItem)).toBeHidden();
+  });
+
+  test('a nested category is reachable in the drawer', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+
+    // The tree loads after the drawer mounts, so anything below the roots is
+    // only reachable if expansion tracks the loaded data rather than the state
+    // at mount time.
+    await page.getByRole('treeitem', { name: NAMES.tables }).click();
+
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.midItem)).toBeHidden();
+  });
+
+  test('requires every selected tag rather than any of them', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: NAMES.vintage }).click();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.midItem)).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: NAMES.oak }).click();
+    // midItem carries only `vintage`, so adding `oak` must drop it.
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.midItem)).toBeHidden();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
+  test('filters by price range', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+
+    await page.getByLabel('Minimum price').fill('200');
+    await page.getByLabel('Maximum price').fill('1000');
+
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.midItem)).toBeHidden();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.dearItem)).toBeHidden();
+  });
+
+  test('removing a chip widens the results again', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('treeitem', { name: NAMES.decor }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Close' }).click();
+
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeHidden();
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: `Remove filter ${NAMES.decor}` }).click();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
+  test('clear all removes every active filter', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('treeitem', { name: NAMES.decor }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: NAMES.vintage }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Close' }).click();
+
+    // Scoped to the chip row: the drawer carries a "Clear all" of its own.
+    await page
+      .getByRole('group', { name: 'Active filters' })
+      .getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear all' })
+      .click();
+
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.otherItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/$/);
+  });
+
+  test('a filtered view survives a reload', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('treeitem', { name: NAMES.furniture }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Close' }).click();
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/category=\d+/);
+    await page.reload();
+
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.deepItem)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card(page, NAMES.otherItem)).toBeHidden();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: `Remove filter ${NAMES.furniture}` })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
+  test('shows an item\'s tags on its card', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Filters/ }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('treeitem', { name: NAMES.decor }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Close' }).click();
+
+    const wallArt = page.locator('.item-card').filter({ hasText: NAMES.otherItem });
+    await expect(wallArt.getByText(NAMES.vintage)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(wallArt.getByText(NAMES.oak)).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});