diff --git a/apps/api/src/query/classification.ts b/apps/api/src/query/classification.ts
index d2645ea14..3a61a2ef1 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/query/classification.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/query/classification.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { Prisma } from "@prisma/client";
 import { prisma } from "../model";
 import {
-  CategoryGroup,
   ClassificationCategoryTree,
   ContentClassification,
   PartialContentClassification,
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   getIsEditor,
 } from "../utils/permissions";
 import { InvalidRequestError } from "../utils/error";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 export async function getClassificationCategories() {
   const results = await prisma.classificationSystems.findMany({
diff --git a/apps/api/src/types.ts b/apps/api/src/types.ts
index fe753475a..21cfc44eb 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/types.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/types.ts
@@ -103,19 +103,6 @@ export type UserInfoWithEmail = UserInfo & {
   isEditor?: boolean;
 };
 
-export type CategoryGroup = {
-  name: string;
-  isRequired: boolean;
-  isExclusive: boolean;
-  categories: Category[];
-};
-
-export type Category = {
-  code: string;
-  description: string;
-  term: string;
-};
-
 export type ContentClassification = {
   id: number;
   code: string;
diff --git a/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.cy.tsx b/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.cy.tsx
index c13879c55..f4563cd63 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.cy.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.cy.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 import { ExploreFilterDrawer } from "./ExploreFilterDrawer";
-import {
-  CategoryGroup,
-  PartialContentClassification,
-  UserInfo,
-} from "../types";
+import { PartialContentClassification, UserInfo } from "../types";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 describe("ExploreFilterDrawer", { tags: ["@group1"] }, () => {
   const mockAuthors: UserInfo[] = [
diff --git a/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.tsx b/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.tsx
index dd7eed32a..ea304d980 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/drawers/ExploreFilterDrawer.tsx
@@ -6,11 +6,8 @@ import {
   DrawerContent,
   DrawerOverlay,
 } from "@chakra-ui/react";
-import {
-  CategoryGroup,
-  PartialContentClassification,
-  UserInfo,
-} from "../types";
+import { PartialContentClassification, UserInfo } from "../types";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 import { NavigateFunction } from "react-router";
 import { FilterPanel } from "../widgets/FilterPanel";
 
diff --git a/apps/app/src/paths/Explore.tsx b/apps/app/src/paths/Explore.tsx
index 6cdb44c5b..15982d188 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/paths/Explore.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/paths/Explore.tsx
@@ -36,12 +36,8 @@ import Searchbar from "../widgets/SearchBar";
 import { Form, useFetcher } from "react-router";
 import { CardContent } from "../widgets/Card";
 import { createNameNoTag, createNameCheckCurateTag } from "../utils/names";
-import {
-  Content,
-  UserInfo,
-  PartialContentClassification,
-  CategoryGroup,
-} from "../types";
+import { Content, UserInfo, PartialContentClassification } from "../types";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 import CardList from "../widgets/CardList";
 import { intWithCommas } from "../utils/formatting";
 import { MdFilterAlt, MdFilterAltOff } from "react-icons/md";
diff --git a/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorHeader.tsx b/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorHeader.tsx
index c2d3f4b95..bdb5c0847 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorHeader.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorHeader.tsx
@@ -44,13 +44,7 @@ import { IoGitBranch } from "react-icons/io5";
 import { LuCircleHelp, LuLibraryBig } from "react-icons/lu";
 
 import axios from "axios";
-import {
-  AssignmentStatus,
-  ContentType,
-  ContentDescription,
-  CategoryGroup,
-  Category,
-} from "../../types";
+import { AssignmentStatus, ContentType, ContentDescription } from "../../types";
 import { contentTypeToName, getIconInfo } from "../../utils/activity";
 import { SiteContext } from "../SiteHeader";
 import { getDiscourseUrl } from "../../utils/discourse";
@@ -63,12 +57,16 @@ import { LibraryEditorControls } from "../../widgets/editor/LibraryEditorControl
 import { editorUrl } from "../../utils/url";
 import { NameBar } from "../../widgets/NameBar";
 import { loader as settingsLoader } from "./EditorSettingsMode";
-import { isActivityFullyCategorized } from "../../utils/classification";
 import { useIframeMenuDismissOverlay } from "../../utils/useIframeMenuDismissOverlay";
 import { MenuDismissOverlay } from "../../components/MenuDismissOverlay";
 import { IFRAME_MENU_IDS } from "../../utils/iframeMenuIds";
 import { useControlledMenu } from "../../utils/useControlledMenu";
 import { useMenuTooltipSuppression } from "../../utils/useMenuTooltipSuppression";
+import {
+  isBrowsable,
+  type Category,
+  type CategoryGroup,
+} from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 export async function loader({
   params,
@@ -165,7 +163,7 @@ export function EditorHeader() {
   const notBrowsable =
     isPublic &&
     categoryCheckFetcher.data &&
-    !isActivityFullyCategorized({
+    !isBrowsable({
       allCategories: categoryCheckFetcher.data.allCategories as CategoryGroup[],
       categories: categoryCheckFetcher.data.categories as Category[],
     });
diff --git a/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.cy.tsx b/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.cy.tsx
index 609d43e39..738d44a36 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.cy.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.cy.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 import { EditorSettingsModeComponent } from "./EditorSettingsMode";
 import {
   AssignmentMode,
-  Category,
-  CategoryGroup,
   ContentClassification,
   DoenetmlVersion,
   LicenseCode,
 } from "../../types";
+import { Category, CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 import { FetcherWithComponents } from "react-router";
 
 describe("EditorSettingsModeComponent", { tags: ["@group1"] }, () => {
diff --git a/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.tsx b/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.tsx
index 5778f11a9..fafcd14c3 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode.tsx
@@ -7,11 +7,10 @@ import {
 import {
   AssignmentMode,
   ContentClassification,
-  Category,
   DoenetmlVersion,
   LicenseCode,
-  CategoryGroup,
 } from "../../types";
+import { Category, CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 import axios from "axios";
 import { Box, Heading, VStack } from "@chakra-ui/react";
 import { BlueBanner } from "../../widgets/BlueBanner";
diff --git a/apps/app/src/popups/ShareMyContentModal.tsx b/apps/app/src/popups/ShareMyContentModal.tsx
index c1329d0d4..7edd2ad3c 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/popups/ShareMyContentModal.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/popups/ShareMyContentModal.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import { FiCode } from "react-icons/fi";
 
 import { loader as settingsLoader } from "../paths/editor/EditorSettingsMode";
 import { editorUrl } from "../utils/url";
-import { isActivityFullyCategorized } from "../utils/classification";
+import { isBrowsable } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 export async function loadShareStatus({ params }: { params: any }) {
   const { data } = await axios.get(
@@ -238,12 +238,12 @@ function SharePublicly({
   const [copiedShareLink, setCopiedShareLink] = useState(false);
   const [copiedEmbedCode, setCopiedEmbedCode] = useState(false);
 
-  const unspecifiedCategories = !isActivityFullyCategorized({
+  const notBrowsable = !isBrowsable({
     allCategories: settings.allCategories,
     categories: settings.categories,
   });
 
-  const browseWarning = unspecifiedCategories && (
+  const browseWarning = notBrowsable && (
     <Alert status="warning">
       <AlertIcon />
       <AlertTitle>Not browsable</AlertTitle>
diff --git a/apps/app/src/types.ts b/apps/app/src/types.ts
index 6dee1f845..b89274a15 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/types.ts
+++ b/apps/app/src/types.ts
@@ -87,19 +87,6 @@ export type UserInfoWithEmail = UserInfo & {
   isEditor?: boolean;
 };
 
-export type CategoryGroup = {
-  name: string;
-  isRequired: boolean;
-  isExclusive: boolean;
-  categories: Category[];
-};
-
-export type Category = {
-  code: string;
-  description: string;
-  term: string;
-};
-
 export type ContentClassification = {
   id: number;
   code: string;
diff --git a/apps/app/src/utils/classification.tsx b/apps/app/src/utils/classification.tsx
index 7ea476f47..46016cf96 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/utils/classification.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/utils/classification.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { ReactElement } from "react";
-import { Category, CategoryGroup, ContentClassification } from "../types";
+import { ContentClassification } from "../types";
 import {
   Text,
   Accordion,
@@ -73,30 +73,3 @@ export function returnClassificationsAccordionPanel(
     </AccordionPanel>
   );
 }
-
-/**
- * Detect whether or not this activity has the required categories filled out.
- * For each group that is required, make sure this activity has at least 1 category in that group.
- * Returns true if all required groups have at least one category filled out, false otherwise.
- */
-export function isActivityFullyCategorized({
-  allCategories,
-  categories,
-}: {
-  allCategories: CategoryGroup[];
-  categories: Category[];
-}) {
-  const existingCodes = categories.map((c) => c.code);
-
-  for (const group of allCategories.filter((g) => g.isRequired)) {
-    const groupCategoryCodes = group.categories.map((c) => c.code);
-    const intersection = existingCodes.filter((code) =>
-      groupCategoryCodes.includes(code),
-    );
-    if (intersection.length === 0) {
-      return false;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}
diff --git a/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.cy.tsx b/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.cy.tsx
index b8da2d163..3adc40de2 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.cy.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.cy.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { FilterPanel } from "./FilterPanel";
-import { CategoryGroup, UserInfo } from "../types";
+import { UserInfo } from "../types";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 type FilterPanelProps = React.ComponentProps<typeof FilterPanel>;
 
diff --git a/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.tsx b/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.tsx
index 03a783394..11efe303f 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/widgets/FilterPanel.tsx
@@ -25,11 +25,8 @@ import { ReactElement } from "react";
 import { createNameNoTag } from "../utils/names";
 import { CloseIcon } from "@chakra-ui/icons";
 import { activityCategoryIcons } from "../utils/activity";
-import {
-  CategoryGroup,
-  PartialContentClassification,
-  UserInfo,
-} from "../types";
+import { PartialContentClassification, UserInfo } from "../types";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 import { intWithCommas } from "../utils/formatting";
 import { Link as ReactRouterLink, NavigateFunction } from "react-router";
 import { clearQueryParameter } from "../utils/explore";
diff --git a/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.cy.tsx b/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.cy.tsx
index 088797fc8..f76a3d0e2 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.cy.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.cy.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { EditCategories } from "./EditCategories";
-import { CategoryGroup } from "../../types";
+import { CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 describe("EditCategories Component", { tags: ["@group3"] }, () => {
   const mockAllCategories: CategoryGroup[] = [
diff --git a/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.tsx b/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.tsx
index ecd9074a3..c5328be61 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/widgets/editor/EditCategories.tsx
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ import {
 } from "@chakra-ui/react";
 import { useFetcher } from "react-router";
 import { optimistic } from "../../utils/optimistic_ui";
-import { Category, CategoryGroup } from "../../types";
 import { activityCategoryIcons } from "../../utils/activity";
+import { Category, CategoryGroup } from "@doenet-tools/shared";
 
 export function EditCategories({
   contentId,
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/index.ts b/packages/shared/src/index.ts
index 32bfd3640..2fdedfa54 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 export * from "./types/activityViewer.js";
+export * from "./types/categories.js";
 export * from "./utils/ipfs.js";
 export * from "./utils/test.js";
 export * from "./apiTypes.js";
+export * from "./logic/browsable.js";
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/logic/browsable.ts b/packages/shared/src/logic/browsable.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..62d352c4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/shared/src/logic/browsable.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import type { Category, CategoryGroup } from "../types/categories.js";
+
+type BrowsableData = {
+  allCategories: CategoryGroup[];
+  categories: Category[];
+};
+
+/**
+ * Determine whether this activity should be discoverable.
+ * Currently this checks category completeness; additional browsable criteria may be added here later.
+ * TODO: check for no errors
+ * TODO: check for no accessibility violations
+ */
+export function isBrowsable(data: BrowsableData) {
+  return isActivityFullyCategorized(data);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Detect whether or not this activity has the required categories filled out.
+ * For each group that is required, make sure this activity has at least 1 category in that group.
+ */
+function isActivityFullyCategorized({
+  allCategories,
+  categories,
+}: BrowsableData) {
+  const existingCodes = new Set(categories.map((c) => c.code));
+
+  for (const group of allCategories.filter((g) => g.isRequired)) {
+    const hasMatch = group.categories.some((category) =>
+      existingCodes.has(category.code),
+    );
+    if (!hasMatch) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/types/categories.ts b/packages/shared/src/types/categories.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..102afa349
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/shared/src/types/categories.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+export type CategoryGroup = {
+  name: string;
+  isRequired: boolean;
+  isExclusive: boolean;
+  categories: Category[];
+};
+
+export type Category = {
+  code: string;
+  description: string;
+  term: string;
+};