How to choose a Shopify developer

Shopify takes care of hosting, security updates and the checkout, so a store can go live quickly. What it does not do is decide how your store looks, how your products are organised or which apps and custom code you add. Those decisions are made by whoever builds the store, and they shape how fast it loads, how easy it is to run and what it costs you to change later. This guide explains what to look for when you choose a Shopify developer or agency.

What does a Shopify developer actually do?

"Shopify developer" covers several kinds of work, and it helps to know which ones your project needs before you start talking to people:

• Store setup: products, collections, navigation, shipping zones, taxes, payment providers, policies and notifications.
• Theme work: customising an existing theme or building a custom one in Liquid, Shopify's template language, using sections and blocks so your team can edit pages without code.
• Apps and integrations: choosing apps from the Shopify App Store, or building a custom app when you need to connect Shopify to an ERP, a warehouse, a CRM or a marketplace.
• Migration: moving products, customers, orders, URLs and redirects from another platform such as WooCommerce, Magento or a custom system.
• Performance and accessibility: keeping pages fast on phones and usable with a keyboard and screen reader.

A small store may only need setup and theme changes. A store with a complex catalogue, B2B pricing or several sales channels needs someone who has built integrations before. Our Shopify development page lists the work we do, if you want a reference point.

Which skills should you check?

Ask for evidence rather than a list of logos. A capable Shopify developer should be able to show you:

• Live stores you can visit. Open them on your phone. Check how quickly the pages load, whether the menus are easy to use and whether the checkout flow feels normal.
• Theme architecture. Current Shopify themes use JSON templates with sections and blocks (often called Online Store 2.0). A developer who builds this way gives your team pages they can rearrange without code.
• Liquid, JavaScript and CSS. These are the core languages of Shopify themes. Ask how they keep scripts small so the store stays fast.
• Apps versus custom code. A good developer explains when an app is the sensible choice and when a few lines of theme code will do the same job without a monthly subscription or extra scripts.
• Checkout and Shopify Functions. Discounts, delivery rules and payment rules are now customised with Shopify Functions and checkout extensions rather than by editing checkout code. Ask whether they have used them.
• Data migration. If you are moving platforms, ask how they map old URLs to new ones with redirects, so search engines and existing links keep working.

Which questions should you ask before you hire?

The answers to these questions tell you more than a sales presentation does:

• Who will do the work, and who is my single point of contact?
• Will you work on a copy of my theme first, and how will I preview changes before they go live?
• Which apps do you plan to install, and why? Which ones will I pay for every month?
• How will you test on phones, tablets and different browsers?
• What happens after launch: who fixes problems, and how quickly?
• Who owns the theme code and any custom app when the project ends?
• How will you hand over: documentation, a walkthrough, a list of apps and settings?

Ask for a written proposal that lists the scope, the milestones and what is not included. A clear scope protects both sides and makes changes easier to discuss.

How should you give a developer access to your store?

You should never need to share your store owner password. Shopify has a built-in way for partners to work on a store: a developer or agency with a Shopify Partner account sends a collaborator request, and you approve it and choose exactly which areas they can see and change. You can remove that access at any time from your store settings.

If you already have staff accounts, the same idea applies: give each person their own login with only the permissions they need. When the project ends, review the list and remove anyone who no longer needs access.

A careful developer also works on an unpublished copy of your live theme. Shopify lets you duplicate a theme, edit the copy and preview it with a private link, so your customers keep using the current store until you approve the new version.

What are the warning signs?

Most problems with Shopify projects can be spotted early. Be cautious if a developer:

• asks for your owner password instead of sending a collaborator request;
• edits your live theme directly, with no copy to roll back to;
• proposes a long list of apps without explaining what each one does;
• cannot show you stores they built that are still live;
• gives you no written scope, or a scope with no milestones;
• will not tell you who owns the code at the end of the project.

None of these points means a developer is dishonest, but each one adds risk to your store and your budget.

What does a good handover include?

When the work is finished, you should receive more than a working store. A good handover includes:

• a list of every installed app, what it does and whether it has a subscription;
• notes on any custom code: where it lives in the theme and what it does;
• a recorded or live walkthrough showing your team how to edit pages, add products and run discounts;
• a backup of the theme files, so you can restore an earlier version if needed;
• confirmation that collaborator access has been reviewed or removed.

If your plans include more than Shopify, for example a custom storefront, a marketplace integration or a mobile app, read our ecommerce development page to see how those projects differ. You can also look through our case studies to see the kind of work we do.

Where do you start?

Write down what the store must do in its first year: the number of products, the markets you sell to, the payment and delivery options you need and the systems it must connect to. Share that list with two or three developers and compare their written proposals line by line. The best choice is usually the one that explains its plan most clearly, not the one with the longest feature list. If you would like us to be one of the developers you compare, send us your list.