Storefront API opens up for all apps

Hello! This is Shop Pulse, your e-commerce concierge, providing top-tier news service faster than a 5-star hotel's room service.

It’s been a relatively quiet week for Shopify updates but let’s dive into the 2 major ones this week:

• Storefront API opens up for all apps

• Application credit process gets an update

Storefront API opens up for all apps

If you’re an app developer needing to access the Storefront API, you no longer need to be a sales channel.

We hear the collective “Huh” from all of you.

So let’s turn to Gil Greenberg for a helpful explanation.

The Storefront API can provide product information that's tailored to a customer's country and language, and it's really fast at it.

Earlier you had to store the same product information in different languages and currencies if your app didn’t have access to Liquid. Storefront API replaces this inefficient method.

Moreover, this API lets you get product information straight from the customer's web browser. That means there's no limit on how many times you can use the API, so your app can handle a lot of data without getting slowed down.

For instance, if you had a product drop and suddenly needed to fetch product data for 2000 people, you wouldn't get slowed down using the Storefront API.

The API is great for apps that need to fetch a lot of product data, like a link builder app or a product customizer.

This is going to be a game-changer.

Application credit process gets an update

In another lovely developer update, application credits will now be issued through appCreditCreate in the PartnerAPI instead of via the Admin API.

Let’s translate the technical jargon into simple English.

A merchant is identified via Merchant Access Token, which we get when they install an app. While a partner is identified via Partner Access Token.

Previously, a partner used to communicate on behalf of the merchant via the merchant API. If tech could talk, it’d be something like":

“Hey Shopify, I am a merchant with merchant access token, refund me 32$ in credits via Admin API”

Speaking as a merchant didn’t make logical sense for a partner. With the update, what happens now via the Partner API (if tech could talk):

“Hey Shopify, I am a partner with partner access token, give this merchant with ShopID $32 via appCreditCreate API”

So why is this better?

1/ Merchant Access Token would change every time a store installs your app. So if they uninstall and install again, it would change.

2/ ShopID does not change even when they uninstall and install the app again

(Special thanks to Prakhar for simplifying this for us)

Pulse Check ⚡️

1. Klaivyo, last valued at $9.5 billion in 2021, has confidentially filed for a US IPO.

2. POS update: You can now set a different logo on printed receipts at each store location

3. Sales attributions can now be corrected or added even post-purchase with the new feature: post-order editing

That's a wrap for this week! Join us over on Twitter to chat about all things e-commerce. It's like attending the coolest virtual shopping party – no long lines, pushy salespeople, or shopping cart collisions in sight (@theshoppulse)