diff --git a/docs/configuration/overview.mdx b/docs/configuration/overview.mdx
index 35386bd5..5c54844f 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/overview.mdx
+++ b/docs/configuration/overview.mdx
@@ -110,10 +110,24 @@ ignore:
   - 'packages/**/example'
 ```
 
-<Info>
-  You can also expand the scope of packages on a per-command basis via the
-  [`--scope` filter](/filters#--scope) flag.
-</Info>
+## categories
+
+Categories are used to group packages together.
+
+To define custom package categories, add a `categories` section in your `melos.yaml` file.
+Under this section, you can specify category names as keys, and their corresponding values
+should be lists of glob patterns that match the packages you want to include in each category.
+
+```yaml
+# melos.yaml
+
+categories:
+  examples:
+    - packages/example*
+  alpha:
+    - packages/feature_a/*
+    - packages/feature_b
+```
 
 ## ide/intellij
 
diff --git a/docs/filters.mdx b/docs/filters.mdx
index d3bc8732..171edd06 100644
--- a/docs/filters.mdx
+++ b/docs/filters.mdx
@@ -46,6 +46,15 @@ repeated.
 melos exec --ignore="*internal*" -- flutter build ios
 ```
 
+## --categories
+
+Filter packages based on categories declared in the `melos.yaml` file.
+
+```bash
+# Run `flutter build ios` on all packages in the "examples" category.
+melos exec --category="examples" -- flutter build ios
+```
+
 ## --diff
 
 Filter packages based on whether there were changes between a commit and the
diff --git a/melos.yaml b/melos.yaml
index e17f1354..411b2f4e 100644
--- a/melos.yaml
+++ b/melos.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ packages:
   - packages/*
 ignore:
   - packages/melos_flutter_deps_check
+categories:
+  testando:
+    - packages/*
 
 command:
   bootstrap:
diff --git a/packages/melos/lib/src/command_runner/base.dart b/packages/melos/lib/src/command_runner/base.dart
index 9f604d84..48ed0b7c 100644
--- a/packages/melos/lib/src/command_runner/base.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/lib/src/command_runner/base.dart
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@ abstract class MelosCommand extends Command<void> {
           'option can be repeated.',
     );
 
+    argParser.addMultiOption(
+      filterOptionCategory,
+      valueHelp: 'glob',
+      help:
+          'Include only packages with categories matching the given glob. This '
+          'option can be repeated.',
+    );
+
     argParser.addMultiOption(
       filterOptionIgnore,
       valueHelp: 'glob',
@@ -151,6 +159,7 @@ abstract class MelosCommand extends Command<void> {
 
     final diff = diffEnabled ? argResults![filterOptionDiff] as String? : null;
     final scope = argResults![filterOptionScope] as List<String>? ?? [];
+    final categories = argResults![filterOptionCategory] as List<String>? ?? [];
     final ignore = argResults![filterOptionIgnore] as List<String>? ?? [];
 
     return PackageFilters(
@@ -161,6 +170,9 @@ abstract class MelosCommand extends Command<void> {
           .map((e) => createGlob(e, currentDirectoryPath: workingDirPath))
           .toList()
         ..addAll(config.ignore),
+      categories: categories
+          .map((e) => createGlob(e, currentDirectoryPath: workingDirPath))
+          .toList(),
       diff: diff,
       includePrivatePackages: argResults![filterOptionPrivate] as bool?,
       published: argResults![filterOptionPublished] as bool?,
diff --git a/packages/melos/lib/src/common/utils.dart b/packages/melos/lib/src/common/utils.dart
index bcc8a4ac..bbc75f37 100644
--- a/packages/melos/lib/src/common/utils.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/lib/src/common/utils.dart
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const globalOptionSdkPath = 'sdk-path';
 const autoSdkPathOptionValue = 'auto';
 
 const filterOptionScope = 'scope';
+const filterOptionCategory = 'category';
 const filterOptionIgnore = 'ignore';
 const filterOptionDirExists = 'dir-exists';
 const filterOptionFileExists = 'file-exists';
diff --git a/packages/melos/lib/src/common/validation.dart b/packages/melos/lib/src/common/validation.dart
index 688e3538..6d741f14 100644
--- a/packages/melos/lib/src/common/validation.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/lib/src/common/validation.dart
@@ -89,6 +89,26 @@ List<T> assertListIsA<T>({
   ];
 }
 
+Map<T, V> assertMapIsA<T, V>({
+  String? path,
+  required Object key,
+  required Map<Object?, Object?> map,
+  required bool isRequired,
+  required T Function(Object? value) assertKey,
+  required V Function(Object? key, Object? value) assertValue,
+}) {
+  final collection = assertKeyIsA<Map<Object?, Object?>?>(key: key, map: map);
+
+  if (isRequired && collection == null) {
+    throw MelosConfigException.missingKey(key: key, path: path);
+  }
+
+  return <T, V>{
+    for (final entry in collection?.entries ?? <MapEntry<Object?, Object?>>[])
+      assertKey(entry.key): assertValue(entry.key, entry.value),
+  };
+}
+
 /// Thrown when `melos.yaml` configuration is malformed.
 class MelosConfigException implements MelosException {
   MelosConfigException(this.message);
diff --git a/packages/melos/lib/src/package.dart b/packages/melos/lib/src/package.dart
index 2e0fc4de..a300a52f 100644
--- a/packages/melos/lib/src/package.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/lib/src/package.dart
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
   PackageFilters({
     this.scope = const [],
     this.ignore = const [],
+    this.categories = const [],
     this.dirExists = const [],
     this.fileExists = const [],
     List<String> dependsOn = const [],
@@ -133,6 +134,12 @@ class PackageFilters {
       path: path,
     );
 
+    final category = assertListOrString(
+      key: filterOptionCategory.camelCased,
+      map: yaml,
+      path: path,
+    );
+
     final ignore = assertListOrString(
       key: filterOptionIgnore.camelCased,
       map: yaml,
@@ -247,6 +254,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
       published: published,
       nullSafe: nullSafe,
       flutter: flutter,
+      categories: category.map(createPackageGlob).toList(),
     );
   }
 
@@ -255,6 +263,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
   const PackageFilters._({
     required this.scope,
     required this.ignore,
+    required this.categories,
     required this.dirExists,
     required this.fileExists,
     required this.dependsOn,
@@ -273,6 +282,9 @@ class PackageFilters {
   /// Patterns for excluding packages by name.
   final List<Glob> ignore;
 
+  /// Patterns for filtering packages by category.
+  final List<Glob> categories;
+
   /// Include a package only if a given directory exists.
   final List<String> dirExists;
 
@@ -315,6 +327,9 @@ class PackageFilters {
     return {
       if (scope.isNotEmpty)
         filterOptionScope.camelCased: scope.map((e) => e.toString()).toList(),
+      if (categories.isNotEmpty)
+        filterOptionCategory.camelCased:
+            scope.map((e) => e.toString()).toList(),
       if (ignore.isNotEmpty)
         filterOptionIgnore.camelCased: ignore.map((e) => e.toString()).toList(),
       if (dirExists.isNotEmpty) filterOptionDirExists.camelCased: dirExists,
@@ -346,6 +361,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
       diff: diff,
       includeDependencies: includeDependencies,
       includeDependents: includeDependents,
+      categories: categories,
     );
   }
 
@@ -363,6 +379,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
       diff: diff,
       includeDependencies: includeDependencies,
       includeDependents: includeDependents,
+      categories: categories,
     );
   }
 
@@ -379,12 +396,14 @@ class PackageFilters {
     String? diff,
     bool? includeDependencies,
     bool? includeDependents,
+    List<Glob>? categories,
   }) {
     return PackageFilters._(
       dependsOn: dependsOn ?? this.dependsOn,
       dirExists: dirExists ?? this.dirExists,
       fileExists: fileExists ?? this.fileExists,
       ignore: ignore ?? this.ignore,
+      categories: categories ?? this.categories,
       includePrivatePackages:
           includePrivatePackages ?? this.includePrivatePackages,
       noDependsOn: noDependsOn ?? this.noDependsOn,
@@ -412,6 +431,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
       const DeepCollectionEquality().equals(other.fileExists, fileExists) &&
       const DeepCollectionEquality().equals(other.dependsOn, dependsOn) &&
       const DeepCollectionEquality().equals(other.noDependsOn, noDependsOn) &&
+      const DeepCollectionEquality().equals(other.categories, categories) &&
       other.diff == diff;
 
   @override
@@ -428,6 +448,7 @@ class PackageFilters {
       const DeepCollectionEquality().hash(fileExists) ^
       const DeepCollectionEquality().hash(dependsOn) ^
       const DeepCollectionEquality().hash(noDependsOn) ^
+      const DeepCollectionEquality().hash(categories) ^
       diff.hashCode;
 
   @override
@@ -440,6 +461,7 @@ PackageFilters(
   includeDependents: $includeDependents,
   includePrivatePackages: $includePrivatePackages,
   scope: $scope,
+  categories: $categories,
   ignore: $ignore,
   dirExists: $dirExists,
   fileExists: $fileExists,
@@ -494,6 +516,7 @@ class PackageMap {
     required String workspacePath,
     required List<Glob> packages,
     required List<Glob> ignore,
+    required Map<String, List<Glob>> categories,
     required MelosLogger logger,
   }) async {
     final pubspecFiles = await _resolvePubspecFiles(
@@ -528,6 +551,20 @@ The packages that caused the problem are:
           );
         }
 
+        final filteredCategories = <String>[];
+
+        categories.forEach((key, value) {
+          final isCategoryMatching = value.any(
+            (category) => category.matches(
+              relativePath(pubspecDirPath, workspacePath),
+            ),
+          );
+
+          if (isCategoryMatching) {
+            filteredCategories.add(key);
+          }
+        });
+
         packageMap[name] = Package(
           name: name,
           path: pubspecDirPath,
@@ -539,6 +576,7 @@ The packages that caused the problem are:
           devDependencies: pubSpec.devDependencies.keys.toList(),
           dependencyOverrides: pubSpec.dependencyOverrides.keys.toList(),
           pubSpec: pubSpec,
+          categories: filteredCategories,
         );
       }),
     );
@@ -602,6 +640,7 @@ The packages that caused the problem are:
         .applyFileExists(filters.fileExists)
         .filterPrivatePackages(include: filters.includePrivatePackages)
         .applyScope(filters.scope)
+        .applyCategories(filters.categories)
         .applyDependsOn(filters.dependsOn)
         .applyNoDependsOn(filters.noDependsOn)
         .filterNullSafe(nullSafe: filters.nullSafe)
@@ -626,7 +665,7 @@ The packages that caused the problem are:
   }
 }
 
-extension on Iterable<Package> {
+extension IterablePackageExt on Iterable<Package> {
   Iterable<Package> applyIgnore(List<Glob> ignore) {
     if (ignore.isEmpty) return this;
 
@@ -747,6 +786,18 @@ extension on Iterable<Package> {
     }).toList();
   }
 
+  Iterable<Package> applyCategories(List<Glob> appliedCategories) {
+    if (appliedCategories.isEmpty) return this;
+
+    return where((package) {
+      return package.categories.any(
+        (category) => appliedCategories.any(
+          (appliedCategory) => appliedCategory.matches(category),
+        ),
+      );
+    }).toList();
+  }
+
   Iterable<Package> applyDependsOn(List<String> dependsOn) {
     if (dependsOn.isEmpty) return this;
 
@@ -802,6 +853,7 @@ class Package {
     required this.version,
     required this.publishTo,
     required this.pubSpec,
+    required this.categories,
   })  : _packageMap = packageMap,
         assert(p.isAbsolute(path));
 
@@ -816,6 +868,7 @@ class Package {
   final Version version;
   final String path;
   final PubSpec pubSpec;
+  final List<String> categories;
 
   /// Package path as a normalized sting relative to the root of the workspace.
   /// e.g. "packages/firebase_database".
diff --git a/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace.dart b/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace.dart
index d5d8d70f..bfe46a98 100644
--- a/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace.dart
@@ -49,12 +49,14 @@ class MelosWorkspace {
       workspacePath: workspaceConfig.path,
       packages: workspaceConfig.packages,
       ignore: workspaceConfig.ignore,
+      categories: workspaceConfig.categories,
       logger: logger,
     );
     final dependencyOverridePackages = await PackageMap.resolvePackages(
       workspacePath: workspaceConfig.path,
       packages: workspaceConfig.commands.bootstrap.dependencyOverridePaths,
       ignore: const [],
+      categories: const {},
       logger: logger,
     );
 
diff --git a/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace_configs.dart b/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace_configs.dart
index 0ec29478..6e376ef0 100644
--- a/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace_configs.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/lib/src/workspace_configs.dart
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ class MelosWorkspaceConfig {
     this.sdkPath,
     this.repository,
     required this.packages,
+    this.categories = const {},
     this.ignore = const [],
     this.scripts = Scripts.empty,
     this.ide = IDEConfigs.empty,
@@ -238,14 +239,19 @@ class MelosWorkspaceConfig {
           map: repositoryYaml,
           path: 'repository',
         );
-        final name = assertKeyIsA<String>(
+        final repositoryName = assertKeyIsA<String>(
           key: 'name',
           map: repositoryYaml,
           path: 'repository',
         );
 
         try {
-          repository = parseHostedGitRepositorySpec(type, origin, owner, name);
+          repository = parseHostedGitRepositorySpec(
+            type,
+            origin,
+            owner,
+            repositoryName,
+          );
         } on FormatException catch (e) {
           throw MelosConfigException(e.toString());
         }
@@ -281,6 +287,25 @@ class MelosWorkspaceConfig {
         path: 'packages',
       ),
     );
+
+    final categories = assertMapIsA<String, List<String>>(
+      key: 'categories',
+      map: yaml,
+      isRequired: false,
+      assertKey: (value) => assertIsA<String>(
+        value: value,
+      ),
+      assertValue: (key, value) => assertListIsA<String>(
+        key: key!,
+        map: (yaml['categories'] ?? {}) as Map<Object?, Object?>,
+        isRequired: false,
+        assertItemIsA: (index, value) => assertIsA<String>(
+          value: value,
+          index: index,
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+
     final ignore = assertListIsA<String>(
       key: 'ignore',
       map: yaml,
@@ -317,6 +342,12 @@ class MelosWorkspaceConfig {
       name: name,
       repository: repository,
       sdkPath: sdkPath,
+      categories: categories.map(
+        (key, value) => MapEntry(
+          key,
+          value.map(Glob.new).toList(),
+        ),
+      ),
       packages: packages
           .map((package) => createGlob(package, currentDirectoryPath: path))
           .toList(),
@@ -465,6 +496,9 @@ class MelosWorkspaceConfig {
   /// A list of [Glob]s for paths that should be searched for packages.
   final List<Glob> packages;
 
+  /// A map of [Glob]s for paths that should be searched for packages.
+  final Map<String, List<Glob>> categories;
+
   /// A list of [Glob]s for paths that should be excluded from the search for
   /// packages.
   final List<Glob> ignore;
@@ -547,6 +581,12 @@ class MelosWorkspaceConfig {
       'path': path,
       if (repository != null) 'repository': repository!,
       'packages': packages.map((p) => p.toString()).toList(),
+      'categories': categories.map((category, packages) {
+        return MapEntry(
+          category,
+          packages.map((p) => p.pattern).toList(),
+        );
+      }),
       if (ignore.isNotEmpty) 'ignore': ignore.map((p) => p.toString()).toList(),
       if (scripts.isNotEmpty) 'scripts': scripts.toJson(),
       'ide': ide.toJson(),
@@ -561,6 +601,7 @@ MelosWorkspaceConfig(
   path: $path,
   name: $name,
   repository: $repository,
+  categories: $categories,
   packages: $packages,
   ignore: $ignore,
   scripts: ${scripts.toString().indent('  ')},
diff --git a/packages/melos/test/commands/publish_test.dart b/packages/melos/test/commands/publish_test.dart
index 21d7833a..6f73e79a 100644
--- a/packages/melos/test/commands/publish_test.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/test/commands/publish_test.dart
@@ -133,5 +133,6 @@ Package _dummyPackage(String name, {List<String> deps = const []}) {
     version: Version(1, 0, 0),
     publishTo: null,
     pubSpec: const PubSpec(),
+    categories: [],
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/melos/test/package_filter_test.dart b/packages/melos/test/package_filter_test.dart
index ffa0cbd3..5f284762 100644
--- a/packages/melos/test/package_filter_test.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/test/package_filter_test.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+import 'package:glob/glob.dart';
 import 'package:melos/melos.dart';
+import 'package:melos/src/common/glob.dart';
 import 'package:melos/src/common/io.dart';
+import 'package:melos/src/common/platform.dart';
 import 'package:path/path.dart' as p;
 import 'package:pubspec/pubspec.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
@@ -79,5 +82,119 @@ void main() {
         [isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'a')],
       );
     });
+
+    test('ignore', () async {
+      final workspaceDir = await createTemporaryWorkspace();
+
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'a'),
+      );
+
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'b'),
+      );
+
+      final config = await MelosWorkspaceConfig.fromWorkspaceRoot(workspaceDir);
+      final workspace = await MelosWorkspace.fromConfig(
+        config,
+        logger: TestLogger().toMelosLogger(),
+        packageFilters: PackageFilters(
+          ignore: [Glob('a')],
+        ),
+      );
+
+      expect(
+        workspace.allPackages.values,
+        [
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'a'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'b'),
+        ],
+      );
+      expect(
+        workspace.filteredPackages.values,
+        [isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'b')],
+      );
+    });
+
+    test('category', () async {
+      MelosWorkspaceConfig configBuilder(String path) {
+        return MelosWorkspaceConfig(
+          name: 'Melos',
+          packages: [
+            createGlob('packages/**', currentDirectoryPath: path),
+          ],
+          categories: {
+            'a': [
+              Glob('packages/a'),
+              Glob('packages/c'),
+            ],
+            'b': [
+              Glob('packages/*a*'),
+            ],
+            'c': [
+              Glob('packages/ab*'),
+            ],
+          },
+          path: currentPlatform.isWindows
+              ? p.windows.normalize(path).replaceAll(r'\', r'\\')
+              : path,
+        );
+      }
+
+      final workspaceDir = await createTemporaryWorkspace(
+        configBuilder: configBuilder,
+      );
+
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'a'),
+      );
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'ab'),
+      );
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'abc'),
+      );
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'b'),
+      );
+      await createProject(
+        workspaceDir,
+        const PubSpec(name: 'c'),
+      );
+
+      final config = await MelosWorkspaceConfig.fromWorkspaceRoot(workspaceDir);
+      final workspace = await MelosWorkspace.fromConfig(
+        config,
+        logger: TestLogger().toMelosLogger(),
+        packageFilters: PackageFilters(
+          categories: [Glob('b')],
+        ),
+      );
+
+      expect(
+        workspace.allPackages.values,
+        [
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'a'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'ab'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'abc'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'b'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'c'),
+        ],
+      );
+      expect(
+        workspace.filteredPackages.values,
+        [
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'a'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'ab'),
+          isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'abc'),
+        ],
+      );
+    });
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/melos/test/package_test.dart b/packages/melos/test/package_test.dart
index ae8b6fd6..a1667b5a 100644
--- a/packages/melos/test/package_test.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/test/package_test.dart
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import 'package:melos/src/common/pub_credential.dart';
 import 'package:melos/src/package.dart';
 import 'package:platform/platform.dart';
 import 'package:pub_semver/pub_semver.dart';
+import 'package:pubspec/pubspec.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
 import 'mock_env.dart';
@@ -239,6 +240,57 @@ void main() {
         expect(cPackage.allTransitiveDependenciesInWorkspace.keys, ['b']);
       });
     });
+
+    group('applying filters', () {
+      test('applyCategory', () {
+        Package createPackage(String name, List<String> category) {
+          return Package(
+            devDependencies: [],
+            dependencies: [],
+            dependencyOverrides: [],
+            packageMap: {},
+            name: name,
+            path: '/test',
+            pathRelativeToWorkspace: 'test',
+            version: Version(1, 0, 0),
+            publishTo: Uri(),
+            pubSpec: const PubSpec(),
+            categories: category,
+          );
+        }
+
+        final packages = [
+          createPackage('package1', ['ab', 'bc']),
+          createPackage('package2', ['bc', 'cd']),
+          createPackage('package3', ['ab', 'cd']),
+        ];
+
+        final result1 = packages.applyCategories(
+          [Glob('ab')],
+        );
+
+        expect(
+          result1,
+          [
+            isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'package1'),
+            isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'package3'),
+          ],
+        );
+
+        final result2 = packages.applyCategories(
+          [Glob('*b*')],
+        );
+
+        expect(
+          result2,
+          [
+            isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'package1'),
+            isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'package2'),
+            isA<Package>().having((p) => p.name, 'name', 'package3'),
+          ],
+        );
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   group('PackageFilters', () {
@@ -251,6 +303,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(filters.fileExists, isEmpty);
       expect(filters.ignore, isEmpty);
       expect(filters.scope, isEmpty);
+      expect(filters.categories, isEmpty);
       expect(filters.includeDependencies, false);
       expect(filters.includeDependents, false);
       expect(filters.includePrivatePackages, null);
@@ -273,6 +326,7 @@ void main() {
           fileExists: const ['a'],
           flutter: true,
           scope: [Glob('a')],
+          categories: [Glob('a')],
           ignore: [Glob('a')],
           includeDependencies: true,
           includeDependents: true,
@@ -290,6 +344,7 @@ void main() {
         expect(copy.dirExists, filters.dirExists);
         expect(copy.fileExists, filters.fileExists);
         expect(copy.scope, filters.scope);
+        expect(copy.categories, filters.categories);
         expect(copy.ignore, filters.ignore);
         expect(copy.includeDependencies, filters.includeDependencies);
         expect(copy.includeDependents, filters.includeDependents);
diff --git a/packages/melos/test/utils.dart b/packages/melos/test/utils.dart
index 7f18b015..b87e2d2a 100644
--- a/packages/melos/test/utils.dart
+++ b/packages/melos/test/utils.dart
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ class VirtualWorkspaceBuilder {
         dependencyOverrides: pubSpec.dependencyOverrides.keys.toList(),
         packageMap: packageMap,
         pathRelativeToWorkspace: pathRelativeToWorkspace,
+        categories: [],
       );
     }