{
  "aliases": null,
  "backlinks": [
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "8TPR96GV7F"
    }
  ],
  "body": "\n## Example\n\nA [[category|A2DE66937D]] is *small* when its objects and its morphisms form sets.\nThe *category of small categories* $\\mathbf{Cat}$ has the small categories as objects and the [[functors|28NQ0KRHD3]] between them as morphisms.\nThe composite of $F \\colon \\mathcal{A} \\to \\mathcal{B}$ and $G \\colon \\mathcal{B} \\to \\mathcal{C}$ is the functor $G \\circ F$, given on objects and on morphisms by composing the maps.\nThe identity functor of $\\mathcal{A}$ is the identity morphism.\nComposition of functors is associative because it is composition of maps on objects and on morphisms, so $\\mathbf{Cat}$ is a category.\n\n## Remarks\n\nThe empty category is an [[initial object|EK85VSSRMR]], and the category with one object and one morphism is a terminal object.\nThe [[product|S5744QZV4N]] of $\\mathcal{A}$ and $\\mathcal{B}$ is the [[product category|AFNE9C4NH6]] $\\mathcal{A} \\times \\mathcal{B}$.\n$\\mathbf{Cat}$ is [[Cartesian closed|BFBNQ36QS8]]: the exponential object of $\\mathcal{A}$ and $\\mathcal{B}$ is the [[functor category|1X0WKFQX8K]] $\\mathcal{B}^{\\mathcal{A}}$.\nWith [[natural transformations|KYCPCC57FT]] as morphisms between functors, $\\mathbf{Cat}$ becomes a [[2-category|CQACXG10JZ]].\nThe smallness condition avoids a paradox: $\\mathbf{Cat}$ itself is not small, so it is not one of its own objects.\n\n## Explanations\n\n### L1 human\n\nCategories can themselves be the objects of a category, with functors as the arrows between them.\nTo avoid \"the set of all sets\" style problems, one only takes categories whose objects and arrows form sets.\nFor example, a [[monoid|0N6R902FG1]] is a category with one object, and a monoid homomorphism is then exactly a functor, so monoids sit inside $\\mathbf{Cat}$.\n",
  "commit": "ff8a40749dc16545e3d2fc637f6b0196e81d0bfa",
  "front": {
    "instance_of": [
      "A2DE66937D"
    ],
    "kind": "example",
    "msc": [
      "18A05",
      "18N10"
    ],
    "name": "Category of small categories",
    "same_as": {
      "wikidata": "Q5051852",
      "wikipedia": "Category of small categories"
    },
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_of_small_categories"
      }
    ],
    "tag": "ZY6R4H65P8",
    "uses": [
      "A2DE66937D",
      "28NQ0KRHD3"
    ]
  },
  "kind": "example",
  "link": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/node/ZY6R4H65P8/",
  "links": [
    {
      "field": "instance_of",
      "target": "A2DE66937D"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "A2DE66937D"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "28NQ0KRHD3"
    }
  ],
  "markdown": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/node/ZY6R4H65P8.md",
  "msc": [
    "18A05",
    "18N10"
  ],
  "name": "Category of small categories",
  "prov": null,
  "role": "",
  "source": "https://github.com/tamnd/math2/blob/main/nodes/ZY6/ZY6R4H65P8.md",
  "status": null,
  "tag": "ZY6R4H65P8",
  "uri": "m2://ZY6R4H65P8",
  "url": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/wiki/category-of-small-categories/",
  "writing": {
    "tag": "ZY6R4H65P8",
    "kind": "example",
    "level": "W0",
    "next": [
      {
        "what": "a source with a locator",
        "have": 0,
        "want": 1
      }
    ]
  }
}
