Integrating with Shopify's APIs is the core of any app or custom storefront. With GraphQL becoming the standard, understanding API best practices is crucial for building robust, scalable solutions.

GraphQL vs REST

Shopify prioritizes GraphQL. It allows you to fetch exactly the data you need in a single request, reducing overhead and improving performance. Always prefer GraphQL for new projects.

Handling Rate Limits

Shopify enforces leaky bucket rate limiting. To avoid 429 errors:

  • Cost Analysis: Calculate query costs before execution.
  • Retry Logic: Implement exponential backoff for failed requests.
  • Bulk Operations: Use the Bulk API for large data exports/imports to avoid hitting limits.

Webhooks for Real-Time Data

Don't poll the API. Use webhooks to react to events like orders/create or products/update. Verify webhook signatures (HMAC) to ensure security.

Security First

Never expose your Admin API access tokens in the frontend. Always proxy requests through your backend. Use the Storefront API for public-facing data.