---
title: "Matchmaking interests"
description: "Create and update matchmaking interests with complete curl request examples."
lastModified: "2026-08-25"
---

**Collection path:** `events/{event_id}/matchmaking-interests`

| Input | Type | POST | PATCH | Notes |
| :---- | :---- | ----: | ----: | :---- |
| `parent_id` | Scalar ID or `null` | Optional | Optional | No parent means category; a parent must be an interest in the event. |
| `name` | Scalar string | Optional at wrapper level | Optional | Interest name. |
| `position` | Scalar number or `null` | Optional | Optional | Display order. |
| `intent_pair_ids` | Array of scalar IDs | Optional | Optional | Full replacement when supplied. Categories cannot have intent pairs. |

## POST a matchmaking interest

The example creates a child interest under category `700`.

```shell
curl --request POST \
  --url "${BRELLA_API_BASE_URL}/api/core/organizations/${BRELLA_ORGANIZATION_ID}/events/${BRELLA_EVENT_ID}/matchmaking-interests" \
  --header "Accept: application/vnd.brella.v4+json" \
  --header "Brella-API-Access-Token: ${BRELLA_API_ACCESS_TOKEN}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-raw '{
    "name": "Artificial intelligence",
    "parent_id": 700,
    "position": 2,
    "intent_pair_ids": [41, 42]
  }'
```

To create a category, omit `parent_id` and send no intent pairs. The response type is `matchmaking-interest`; useful write-response fields include `parent_id`, `name`, `position`, `intent_pair_ids`, and `category`.

## PATCH a matchmaking interest

```shell
curl --request PATCH \
  --url "${BRELLA_API_BASE_URL}/api/core/organizations/${BRELLA_ORGANIZATION_ID}/events/${BRELLA_EVENT_ID}/matchmaking-interests/701" \
  --header "Accept: application/vnd.brella.v4+json" \
  --header "Brella-API-Access-Token: ${BRELLA_API_ACCESS_TOKEN}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-raw '{
    "name": "Applied artificial intelligence",
    "position": 3,
    "intent_pair_ids": [41, 43]
  }'
```

Setting `parent_id` to `null` converts a child into a category only if its resulting intent-pair set is empty.