---
name: shopify-setup-a857cc65cdde
description: >
  Set up a Shopify development environment — Shopify CLI installation, Partner
  account, development stores, environment variables, project structures for
  themes, apps, and Hydrogen. Use when starting a new Shopify project.
---

# Shopify Development Setup

## Before writing code

**Fetch live docs**:
1. Fetch `https://shopify.dev/docs/api/shopify-cli` for CLI installation and commands
2. Web-search `site:shopify.dev getting started app development` for app setup
3. Web-search `site:shopify.dev theme development getting started` for theme setup

## Prerequisites

### Shopify Partner Account

All Shopify development starts with a Partner account:
- Free at https://partners.shopify.com/
- Provides access to development stores (unlimited), app management, and theme development
- Development stores have full Shopify features without charges

### Development Stores

Two types:
- **Development store** — full-featured test store, cannot process real payments
- **Shopify Plus sandbox** — for testing Plus-specific features

### Shopify CLI

The primary development tool:
- Install: `npm install -g @shopify/cli` or `brew install shopify-cli`
- Authenticate: `shopify auth login`
- Key commands: `shopify app init`, `shopify theme init`, `shopify hydrogen init`

## Project Structures

### App Project (Remix)

```
shopify-app/
├── app/
│   ├── routes/
│   │   ├── app._index.tsx        # App dashboard
│   │   ├── app.products.tsx      # Products page
│   │   └── webhooks.tsx          # Webhook handler
│   ├── shopify.server.ts         # Shopify API client
│   └── root.tsx
├── extensions/
│   ├── my-function/              # Shopify Function
│   └── my-checkout-ui/           # Checkout UI extension
├── shopify.app.toml              # App configuration
├── package.json
└── .env
```

### Theme Project

```
my-theme/
├── assets/                       # CSS, JS, images
├── config/
│   ├── settings_schema.json      # Theme settings
│   └── settings_data.json        # Default settings values
├── layout/
│   └── theme.liquid              # Main layout
├── locales/                      # Translations
├── sections/                     # Reusable sections
├── snippets/                     # Reusable Liquid snippets
├── templates/
│   ├── index.json                # Homepage template
│   └── product.json              # Product page template
└── .shopify/                     # CLI metadata
```

### Hydrogen Project

```
hydrogen-storefront/
├── app/
│   ├── routes/
│   │   ├── ($locale)._index.tsx
│   │   ├── ($locale).products.$handle.tsx
│   │   └── ($locale).collections.$handle.tsx
│   ├── components/
│   ├── lib/
│   │   └── context.ts
│   └── root.tsx
├── server.ts
├── hydrogen.config.ts
├── remix.config.js
└── .env
```

## Environment Variables

```
SHOPIFY_API_KEY=your-api-key
SHOPIFY_API_SECRET=your-api-secret
SHOPIFY_APP_URL=https://your-app.example.com
SCOPES=read_products,write_products,read_orders
SHOPIFY_STORE=your-dev-store.myshopify.com
```

Never hardcode secrets — always use `.env` files (excluded from version control) or your platform's secret manager.

## Deprecated Technologies Warning

Do NOT use these deprecated tools:
- **Slate** — deprecated theme build tool, replaced by Shopify CLI
- **Theme Kit** — legacy theme deployment, replaced by `shopify theme` CLI commands
- **Timber** — deprecated starter theme, replaced by Dawn

## Best Practices

- Use `shopify app init` or `shopify theme init` to scaffold projects — do not set up manually
- Always start with a development store — never develop against a production store
- Use the latest stable API version (check `https://shopify.dev/docs/api/usage/versioning`)
- Keep `.env` in `.gitignore`
- Use `shopify app dev` for local development with hot reload and tunnel
- Run `shopify theme check` before deploying themes

Fetch the Shopify CLI docs and getting-started guides for exact commands and latest project structures before setting up.


---
Source attribution: OrcaQubits
Original project: https://github.com/OrcaQubits/agentic-commerce-skills-plugins/blob/30cd25c74c8aa7dc49b3ec4847d463f6104439f6/dist/codex/shopify-commerce/skills/shopify-setup/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2024-2026 OrcaQubits AI (https://orcaqubits-ai.com)

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
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LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: OrcaQubits
Original project: https://github.com/OrcaQubits/agentic-commerce-skills-plugins/blob/30cd25c74c8aa7dc49b3ec4847d463f6104439f6/dist/codex/shopify-commerce/skills/shopify-setup/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Development & Engineering, Marketing
Roles: Frontend Developer, Growth Marketer, Product Marketer
Specialties: API, Frontend
Tools: Shopify Cli
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 3e5411be414d2b8df5b6faf0da66a96db22847e540a07e0876362a87013e4cde