shopify-app-development

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---
name: shopify-app-development
description: "Build embedded Shopify apps using the Remix framework, App Bridge for UI integration, Polaris components, and OAuth authentication flow"
category: platform-shopify
risk: safe
source: curated
date_added: "2026-03-12"
tags: [shopify, app, oauth, app-bridge, polaris, remix, embedded-app, cli]
triggers: ["create shopify app", "build shopify app", "shopify embedded app", "shopify oauth", "shopify app bridge", "shopify polaris"]
tools: [claude-code, cursor, gemini-cli, copilot, codex-cli, kiro, opencode]
platforms: [shopify]
difficulty: advanced
---

# Shopify App Development

## Overview

Build Shopify apps using the Shopify CLI 3.x Remix template, which handles OAuth token exchange, session storage, and App Bridge initialization automatically. Embedded apps run inside the Shopify Admin iframe and use Polaris for a native-feeling UI. The modern approach uses the Remix-based `@shopify/shopify-app-remix` package rather than the legacy Express template.

## When to Use This Skill

- When building a public or custom Shopify app that extends Admin functionality
- When creating an embedded app that merchants install from the Shopify App Store
- When implementing OAuth for the first time with session persistence across reinstalls
- When needing to access the Admin API on behalf of authenticated merchants
- When building merchant-facing tooling with Shopify's Polaris design system
- When replacing an older Express/koa-based Shopify app with the modern Remix stack

## Core Instructions

1. **Scaffold the app with Shopify CLI**

   ```bash
   npm install -g @shopify/cli @shopify/theme
   shopify app init my-shopify-app
   # Choose: Remix template
   cd my-shopify-app
   shopify app dev
   ```

   This scaffolds a Remix app with OAuth, session storage (SQLite by default), and App Bridge already wired up. The dev command tunnels your local server via Cloudflare and installs the app on your Partner development store.

2. **Understand the OAuth flow and session handling**

   The scaffold uses `@shopify/shopify-app-remix` which handles the OAuth dance. In `app/shopify.server.ts`:

   ```typescript
   import "@shopify/shopify-app-remix/adapters/node";
   import {
     AppDistribution,
     DeliveryMethod,
     shopifyApp,
     LATEST_API_VERSION,
   } from "@shopify/shopify-app-remix/server";
   import { PrismaSessionStorage } from "@shopify/shopify-app-session-storage-prisma";
   import { PrismaClient } from "@prisma/client";

   const prisma = new PrismaClient();

   const shopify = shopifyApp({
     apiKey: process.env.SHOPIFY_API_KEY,
     apiSecretKey: process.env.SHOPIFY_API_SECRET || "",
     apiVersion: LATEST_API_VERSION,
     scopes: process.env.SCOPES?.split(","),
     appUrl: process.env.SHOPIFY_APP_URL || "",
     authPathPrefix: "/auth",
     sessionStorage: new PrismaSessionStorage(prisma),
     distribution: AppDistribution.AppStore,
     webhooks: {
       APP_UNINSTALLED: {
         deliveryMethod: DeliveryMethod.Http,
         callbackUrl: "/webhooks",
       },
     },
     hooks: {
       afterAuth: async ({ session }) => {
         shopify.registerWebhooks({ session });
       },
     },
   });

   export default shopify;
   export const authenticate = shopify.authenticate;
   ```

3. **Protect routes and call the Admin API**

   Any loader or action that needs Admin API access calls `authenticate.admin`:

   ```typescript
   // app/routes/app._index.tsx
   import { json } from "@remix-run/node";
   import { useLoaderData } from "@remix-run/react";
   import { authenticate } from "../shopify.server";

   export const loader = async ({ request }: LoaderFunctionArgs) => {
     const { admin, session } = await authenticate.admin(request);

     // GraphQL Admin API call
     const response = await admin.graphql(`
       query {
         shop {
           name
           email
           primaryDomain { url }
         }
       }
     `);
     const { data } = await response.json();