What is API version 2026-01?

It is the stable GraphQL Admin and Storefront API version referenced by this skill, guiding data access and storefront behavior.

When should I use Hydrogen?

Use Hydrogen for building headless storefronts that consume the Storefront API, enabling a React-based UI with server-side data loading.

How do I migrate from Scripts to Functions?

Plan the business logic to be implemented as Shopify Functions, install/compile the function, test with your store, and deploy via the Shopify CLI.

shopify-developer

Scanned

npx machina-cli add skill tech-leads-club/agent-skills/shopify-developer --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

7.3 KB

Shopify Developer Reference

Comprehensive reference for professional Shopify development - API version 2026-01.

Quick Reference

Item	Value
API version	`2026-01` (stable)
GraphQL Admin	`POST https://{store}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2026-01/graphql.json`
Storefront API	`POST https://{store}.myshopify.com/api/2026-01/graphql.json`
Ajax API (theme)	`/cart.js`, `/cart/add.js`, `/cart/change.js`
CLI install	`npm install -g @shopify/cli`
Theme dev	`shopify theme dev --store {store}.myshopify.com`
App dev	`shopify app dev`
Deploy	`shopify app deploy`
Docs	shopify.dev

Choose Your Path

Read the reference file(s) that match your task:

Liquid templating - writing or debugging .liquid files:

references/liquid-syntax.md - Tags, control flow, iteration, whitespace, LiquidDoc
references/liquid-filters.md - All filter categories with examples
references/liquid-objects.md - Product, collection, cart, customer, and global objects

Theme development - building or customising themes:

references/theme-development.md - OS 2.0 architecture, sections, blocks, JSON templates, settings schema

API integration - fetching or modifying data programmatically:

references/api-admin.md - GraphQL Admin API (primary), REST (legacy), OAuth, webhooks, rate limiting
references/api-storefront.md - Storefront API, Ajax API, cart operations

App development - building Shopify apps:

references/app-development.md - Shopify CLI, extensions, Polaris Web Components, App Bridge

Serverless logic - custom business rules:

references/functions.md - Shopify Functions (replacing Scripts), Rust/JS targets, deployment

Headless commerce - custom storefronts:

references/hydrogen.md - Hydrogen framework, React Router 7, Storefront API integration

Optimisation and troubleshooting:

references/performance.md - Images, JS, CSS, fonts, Liquid, Core Web Vitals
references/debugging.md - Liquid errors, API errors, cart issues, webhook failures

Deprecation Notices

Deprecated	Replacement	Deadline
Shopify Scripts	Shopify Functions	August 2025 (migration), sundown TBD
checkout.liquid	Checkout Extensibility	August 2024 (Plus), done
REST Admin API	GraphQL Admin API	Active deprecation (no removal date yet)
Legacy custom apps	New auth model	January 2025 (done)
Polaris React	Polaris Web Components	Active migration
Remix (app framework)	React Router 7	Hydrogen 2025.5.0+

Liquid Essentials

Three syntax types:

{{ product.title | upcase }}                    {# Output with filter #}
{% if product.available %}In stock{% endif %}   {# Logic tag #}
{% assign sale = product.price | times: 0.8 %}  {# Assignment #}
{%- if condition -%}Stripped whitespace{%- endif -%}

Key patterns:

{% for product in collection.products limit: 5 %}
  {% render 'product-card', product: product %}
{% endfor %}

{% paginate collection.products by 12 %}
  {% for product in paginate.collection.products %}...{% endfor %}
  {{ paginate | default_pagination }}
{% endpaginate %}

API Essentials

// GraphQL Admin - always use GraphQL over REST
const response = await fetch(`https://${store}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2026-01/graphql.json`, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Shopify-Access-Token': accessToken,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ query, variables }),
})
const { data, errors } = await response.json()
if (errors) throw new Error(errors[0].message)

// Ajax API (theme-only cart operations)
fetch('/cart/add.js', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({ id: variantId, quantity: 1 }),
})

Reference Files

File	Lines	Coverage
liquid-syntax.md	~600	Tags, control flow, iteration, variables, whitespace, LiquidDoc
liquid-filters.md	~870	String, numeric, array, Shopify-specific, date, URL, colour filters
liquid-objects.md	~695	All Shopify objects: product, variant, collection, cart, customer, order, etc.
theme-development.md	~1200	File structure, JSON templates, sections, blocks, settings schema, layout
api-admin.md	~595	GraphQL queries/mutations, REST (legacy), OAuth, webhooks, rate limiting
api-storefront.md	~235	Storefront API, Ajax API, cart operations, Customer Account API
app-development.md	~760	CLI, app architecture, extensions, Polaris Web Components, deployment
functions.md	~300	Function types, Rust/JS targets, CLI workflow, Scripts migration
hydrogen.md	~375	Setup, routing, data loading, Storefront API, deployment
performance.md	~605	Images, JS, CSS, fonts, Liquid, third-party scripts, Core Web Vitals
debugging.md	~650	Liquid, JavaScript, API, cart, webhook, theme editor troubleshooting

Source

git clone https://github.com/tech-leads-club/agent-skills/blob/main/packages/skills-catalog/skills/(development)/shopify-developer/SKILL.md

View on GitHub

Overview

Comprehensive reference for professional Shopify development aligned to API version 2026-01. It covers Liquid templating, OS 2.0 themes, GraphQL Admin and Storefront APIs, Hydrogen, Functions, and performance optimization. Use it for building themes, apps, headless storefronts, and debugging Liquid and GraphQL queries.

How This Skill Works

The guide groups core Shopify development domains into task-oriented modules (Liquid templating, OS 2.0 theme architecture, GraphQL Admin/Storefront APIs, Hydrogen, Functions, and performance). Technically, you follow path-based sections to learn, implement against v2026-01 endpoints, and leverage the Shopify CLI for development, testing, and deployment.

When to Use It

Writing or debugging .liquid templates and Liquid objects/filters
Building or customizing OS 2.0 themes with sections, blocks, and JSON templates
Fetching or mutating data via GraphQL Admin or Storefront APIs
Developing Shopify apps, extensions, or headless storefronts using Hydrogen
Troubleshooting Liquid errors, API issues, or migrating from Scripts to Functions

Quick Start

Step 1: Install and authenticate Shopify CLI: npm install -g @shopify/cli; shopify login --store {store}.myshopify.com
Step 2: Pick a path (e.g., Theme Development or App Development) and scaffold the project with shopify theme dev or shopify app dev
Step 3: Implement a small change in a .liquid file or GraphQL query, run local dev server, and verify in a test store

Best Practices

Start with the appropriate reference path (Liquid, Theme Development, API integration, Apps, Functions) to target your task
Prefer GraphQL Admin for data operations and Storefront API for storefront rendering; keep API version 2026-01 as the target
Use the Shopify CLI for local dev, testing, and deployment (theme dev, app dev, app deploy)
Optimize performance by auditing images, JS/CSS, fonts, and Liquid rendering; apply Core Web Vitals considerations
Leverage OS 2.0 architecture with sections, blocks, and JSON templates to maximize flexibility and maintainability

Example Use Cases

Create an OS 2.0 theme with JSON templates and sections that render dynamic product grids
Write a Liquid snippet to render product prices with correct currency formatting and discounts
Query products and inventory via GraphQL Admin to build an admin dashboard or catalog page
Build a headless storefront using Hydrogen connected to the Storefront API
Migrate a business rule from Shopify Scripts to a Shopify Function for serverless logic

Frequently Asked Questions

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