The championship includes two main categories: Silat Olahraga and Seni Silat. The primary difference between these categories lies in their focus and approach.
Silat Olahraga is oriented towards sport competition, where athletes (pesilat) demonstrate their fighting techniques, skills, and game plans. This category emphasizes combat effectiveness, strategy, and physical prowess.
On the other hand, Seni Silat focuses on the artistic aspects of silat. Competitors are judged on the precision of their movements, the beauty of their performance, and the synchronization in group performances. This category is further divided into two subcategories: Tunggal (individual performance) and Regu (group performance, consisting of three members). In Seni Silat, the emphasis is on the elegance and artistic expression of the martial art, with special attention to the uniformity and harmony of movements in the Regu category.
