GLOSSARY · S
Storefront API
The GraphQL API that headless storefronts use to read products and create checkouts.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters for a Shopify store.
The Storefront API is the GraphQL API that custom storefronts use to read products and collections, manage carts and send shoppers to Shopify checkout.
It powers headless builds, mobile apps and custom experiences while Shopify stays the source of truth for products and orders.
HOW CREATIVE LABS HANDLES IT
What we do about it on every project.
01
Query only what you need
Lean GraphQL queries keep pages fast.
02
Cache safely
Product and content data are cached with sensible invalidation.
03
Keep checkout native
Carts created through the API hand off to Shopify checkout.
EXAMPLE
A typical example.
A brand builds a product finder in a Next.js site.
The finder queries products, variants and prices through the Storefront API, builds a cart and sends the shopper to Shopify checkout to pay.
COMMON MISTAKES
What usually goes wrong.
Over-fetching
Requesting everything on every page slows the site.
Ignoring rate limits
Unthrottled requests fail under load.
Rebuilding checkout
Use the Shopify checkout the API hands off to.
STOREFRONT API
2 questions
What's the difference between the Storefront API and the Admin API?
The Storefront API is for customer-facing experiences; the Admin API manages store data and is used by apps and back-office tools.
Do I need Hydrogen to use the Storefront API?
No. Any framework can use it; Hydrogen includes helpers for it.
Related terms
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