diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/categories-section.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/categories-section.js
index 1815b8804bc..21f48211064 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/categories-section.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/categories-section.js
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
 import GlimmerComponent from "discourse/components/glimmer";
+import CategorySectionLink from "discourse/lib/sidebar/categories-section/category-section-link";
 
-export default class SidebarCategoriesSection extends GlimmerComponent {}
+export default class SidebarCategoriesSection extends GlimmerComponent {
+  get sectionLinks() {
+    return this.site.trackedCategoriesList.map((trackedCategory) => {
+      return new CategorySectionLink({ category: trackedCategory });
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/categories-section/category-section-link.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/categories-section/category-section-link.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..17766f1ba13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/categories-section/category-section-link.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { htmlSafe } from "@ember/template";
+
+import { categoryBadgeHTML } from "discourse/helpers/category-link";
+import Category from "discourse/models/category";
+
+export default class CategorySectionLink {
+  constructor({ category }) {
+    this.category = category;
+  }
+
+  get name() {
+    return this.category.slug;
+  }
+
+  get route() {
+    return "discovery.latestCategory";
+  }
+
+  get model() {
+    return `${Category.slugFor(this.category)}/${this.category.id}`;
+  }
+
+  get currentWhen() {
+    return "discovery.unreadCategory discovery.topCategory discovery.newCategory discovery.latestCategory";
+  }
+
+  get title() {
+    return this.category.description_excerpt;
+  }
+
+  get text() {
+    return htmlSafe(categoryBadgeHTML(this.category, { link: false }));
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js
index 6e6f644314b..c5b473cccc3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ const Category = RestModel.extend({
     return seconds ? seconds / 60 : null;
   },
 
+  @discourseComputed("notification_level")
+  isTracked(notificationLevel) {
+    return notificationLevel >= NotificationLevels.TRACKING;
+  },
+
   save() {
     const id = this.id;
     const url = id ? `/categories/${id}` : "/categories";
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js
index 343ed0913bd..81dcc716e5c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import discourseComputed from "discourse-common/utils/decorators";
 import { getOwner } from "discourse-common/lib/get-owner";
 import { isEmpty } from "@ember/utils";
 import { htmlSafe } from "@ember/template";
-import { NotificationLevels } from "discourse/lib/notification-levels";
 
 const Site = RestModel.extend({
   isReadOnly: alias("is_readonly"),
@@ -84,12 +83,12 @@ const Site = RestModel.extend({
       : this.sortedCategories;
   },
 
-  @discourseComputed("categories.[]")
+  @discourseComputed("categories.[]", "categories.@each.notification_level")
   trackedCategoriesList(categories) {
     const trackedCategories = [];
 
     for (const category of categories) {
-      if (category.notification_level >= NotificationLevels.TRACKING) {
+      if (category.isTracked) {
         trackedCategories.push(category);
       }
     }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/categories-section.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/categories-section.hbs
index 9dc65b326c0..8c0e720afbb 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/categories-section.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/categories-section.hbs
@@ -4,4 +4,21 @@
   @headerLinkText={{i18n "sidebar.sections.categories.header_link_text"}}
   @headerLinkTitle={{i18n "sidebar.sections.categories.header_link_title"}} >
 
+  {{#if (gt this.sectionLinks.length 0)}}
+    {{#each this.sectionLinks as |sectionLink|}}
+      <Sidebar::SectionLink
+        @linkName={{sectionLink.name}}
+        @route={{sectionLink.route}}
+        @query={{sectionLink.query}}
+        @title={{sectionLink.title}}
+        @content={{sectionLink.text}}
+        @currentWhen={{sectionLink.currentWhen}}
+        @model={{sectionLink.model}}>
+      </Sidebar::SectionLink>
+    {{/each}}
+  {{else}}
+    <Sidebar::SectionMessage>
+      {{i18n "sidebar.sections.categories.no_tracked_categories"}}
+    </Sidebar::SectionMessage>
+  {{/if}}
 </Sidebar::Section>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/section-message.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/section-message.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d3d92dad946
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/components/sidebar/section-message.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<div class="sidebar-section-message-wrapper">
+  <div class="sidebar-section-message">
+    {{yield}}
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-categories-section-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-categories-section-test.js
index c08a5f5b38c..d8a7f2d561e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-categories-section-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-categories-section-test.js
@@ -1,14 +1,53 @@
+import I18n from "I18n";
+
 import { click, currentURL, visit } from "@ember/test-helpers";
 
 import {
   acceptance,
   conditionalTest,
+  exists,
+  query,
+  queryAll,
 } from "discourse/tests/helpers/qunit-helpers";
+import selectKit from "discourse/tests/helpers/select-kit-helper";
 import { isLegacyEmber } from "discourse-common/config/environment";
+import Site from "discourse/models/site";
+import { NotificationLevels } from "discourse/lib/notification-levels";
+import discoveryFixture from "discourse/tests/fixtures/discovery-fixtures";
+import categoryFixture from "discourse/tests/fixtures/category-fixtures";
+import { cloneJSON } from "discourse-common/lib/object";
 
 acceptance("Sidebar - Categories Section", function (needs) {
   needs.user({ experimental_sidebar_enabled: true });
 
+  needs.pretender((server, helper) => {
+    ["latest", "top", "new", "unread"].forEach((type) => {
+      server.get(`/c/:categorySlug/:categoryId/l/${type}.json`, () => {
+        return helper.response(
+          cloneJSON(discoveryFixture["/c/bug/1/l/latest.json"])
+        );
+      });
+    });
+
+    server.get("/c/:categorySlug/:categoryId/find_by_slug.json", () => {
+      return helper.response(cloneJSON(categoryFixture["/c/1/show.json"]));
+    });
+
+    server.post("/category/:categoryId/notifications", () => {
+      return helper.response({});
+    });
+  });
+
+  const setupTrackedCategories = function () {
+    const categories = Site.current().categories;
+    const category1 = categories[0];
+    const category2 = categories[1];
+    category1.set("notification_level", NotificationLevels.TRACKING);
+    category2.set("notification_level", NotificationLevels.TRACKING);
+
+    return { category1, category2 };
+  };
+
   conditionalTest(
     "clicking on section header link",
     !isLegacyEmber(),
@@ -23,4 +62,205 @@ acceptance("Sidebar - Categories Section", function (needs) {
       );
     }
   );
+
+  conditionalTest(
+    "category section links when user does not have any tracked categories",
+    !isLegacyEmber(),
+    async function (assert) {
+      await visit("/");
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        query(".sidebar-section-message").textContent.trim(),
+        I18n.t("sidebar.sections.categories.no_tracked_categories"),
+        "the no tracked categories message is displayed"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+
+  conditionalTest(
+    "category section links for tracked categories",
+    !isLegacyEmber(),
+    async function (assert) {
+      const { category1, category2 } = setupTrackedCategories();
+
+      await visit("/");
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        queryAll(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link").length,
+        2,
+        "there should only be two section link under the section"
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug} .badge-category`),
+        "category1 section link is rendered with category badge"
+      );
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        query(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`).textContent.trim(),
+        category1.name,
+        "displays category1's name for the link text"
+      );
+
+      await click(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        currentURL(),
+        `/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/latest`,
+        "it should transition to the category1's discovery page"
+      );
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        queryAll(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active")
+          .length,
+        1,
+        "only one link is marked as active"
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+        "the category1 section link is marked as active"
+      );
+
+      await click(`.sidebar-section-link-${category2.slug}`);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        currentURL(),
+        `/c/${category2.slug}/${category2.id}/l/latest`,
+        "it should transition to the category2's discovery page"
+      );
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        queryAll(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active")
+          .length,
+        1,
+        "only one link is marked as active"
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category2.slug}.active`),
+        "the category2 section link is marked as active"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+
+  conditionalTest(
+    "visiting category discovery new route for tracked categories",
+    !isLegacyEmber(),
+    async function (assert) {
+      const { category1 } = setupTrackedCategories();
+
+      await visit(`/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/new`);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        queryAll(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active")
+          .length,
+        1,
+        "only one link is marked as active"
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+        "the category1 section link is marked as active for the new route"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+
+  conditionalTest(
+    "visiting category discovery unread route for tracked categories",
+    !isLegacyEmber(),
+    async function (assert) {
+      const { category1 } = setupTrackedCategories();
+
+      await visit(`/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/unread`);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        queryAll(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active")
+          .length,
+        1,
+        "only one link is marked as active"
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+        "the category1 section link is marked as active for the unread route"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+
+  conditionalTest(
+    "visiting category discovery top route for tracked categories",
+    !isLegacyEmber(),
+    async function (assert) {
+      const { category1 } = setupTrackedCategories();
+
+      await visit(`/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/top`);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        queryAll(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active")
+          .length,
+        1,
+        "only one link is marked as active"
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+        "the category1 section link is marked as active for the top route"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+
+  conditionalTest(
+    "updating category notification level",
+    !isLegacyEmber(),
+    async function (assert) {
+      const { category1, category2 } = setupTrackedCategories();
+
+      await visit(`/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/top`);
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`),
+        `has ${category1.name} section link in sidebar`
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category2.slug}`),
+        `has ${category2.name} section link in sidebar`
+      );
+
+      const notificationLevelsDropdown = selectKit(".notifications-button");
+
+      await notificationLevelsDropdown.expand();
+
+      await notificationLevelsDropdown.selectRowByValue(
+        NotificationLevels.REGULAR
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        !exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`),
+        `does not have ${category1.name} section link in sidebar`
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category2.slug}`),
+        `has ${category2.name} section link in sidebar`
+      );
+
+      await notificationLevelsDropdown.expand();
+
+      await notificationLevelsDropdown.selectRowByValue(
+        NotificationLevels.TRACKING
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`),
+        `has ${category1.name} section link in sidebar`
+      );
+
+      assert.ok(
+        exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category2.slug}`),
+        `has ${category2.name} section link in sidebar`
+      );
+    }
+  );
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/common/base/sidebar.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/common/base/sidebar.scss
index 7ede8a5bf5e..cde1de56422 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/common/base/sidebar.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/common/base/sidebar.scss
@@ -103,6 +103,21 @@
       color: var(--primary);
       font-weight: bold;
     }
+
+    .badge-wrapper {
+      font-size: 100%;
+    }
+  }
+
+  .sidebar-section-message-wrapper {
+    display: flex;
+    margin-left: 1.5em;
+  }
+
+  .sidebar-section-message {
+    padding: 0.25em 0.5em;
+    font-size: var(--font-down-1);
+    color: var(--primary-high);
   }
 
   .sidebar-section-link-content-badge {
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index 5f1cd46e365..1260392cb0e 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -4042,6 +4042,7 @@ en:
       new_count: "%{count} new"
       sections:
         categories:
+          no_tracked_categories: "You are not tracking any categories."
           header_link_title: "all categories"
           header_link_text: "Categories"
         topics: