Introduction

Each Shopify store has different needs and many of which are beyond what Shopify’s native features can fulfill. Therefore, Shopify App Development has become a lifesaver for merchants and a lucrative industry for app developers.

So whether you’re looking for Shopify app development services or want to know how to build a Shopify app, you’re at the right place. Today, LitExtension – #1 Shopping Cart Migration Expert will walk you through:

Let’s discover!

Shopify App Development – Everything You Need to Know

To ensure that we’re on the same page, you need to have a better understanding of Shopify first. So, concisely, Shopify is a beginner-friendly eCommerce platform that enables businesses of all shapes and sizes to launch and run their online store easily.

Want to embark on your online selling journey? Create a Shopify store now and seize the chance to save big with Shopify!

Discover everything you need to know about Shopify with our resources

#1. What Is Shopify App Development?

When you pay Shopify a monthly subscription fee to use it, you’re given a theme – which is easily customizable. You also have basic eCommerce features packed in a clean, centralized dashboard to run and manage your online store easily.

However, at the end of the day, Shopify’s basic features are, well, basic. So in order to scale up your online business, you need the assistance of Shopify apps.

That explains why Shopify App Development is a profitable industry and that the Shopify App Store has accommodated over 8,000 apps with all the features you can imagine.

app store shopify — Here’s Shopify App Store – where you can browse, install and experience any app you like.

But is Shopify app development all about developing apps on the Shopify App Store? Well, not really!

#2. Types Of Shopify App Development

As of writing this article, there are 4 types of Shopify apps – public apps, custom apps, private apps, and draft apps.

Public apps: There are two types of public apps, the listed and unlisted ones. With listed apps, you can find and install them in the search result. And though unlisted apps don’t appear in search results or app categories, you can still install them as long as you have the app listing URL.
Custom apps: These are apps that are built exclusively to serve the very needs and demands of your Shopify store – which you can get by clicking on the install link that the app developers give you.
Private apps: Private apps are pretty similar to custom apps. However, with private apps, you need to give the app developers open API access to your store or your Shopify admin. But it should be noted that Shopify has stopped supporting private apps since January 2022, so if you want to develop a Shopify app, stick with a public or custom one.
Draft apps: These apps are used for testing purposes and can only be installed on development stores only.

#3. The Benefits Of Building Shopify Apps

On the merchants’ side, if you cannot find any app on the Shopify App Store that gives you the features you need, having custom Shopify apps will give you:

Better control: Unlike public apps with features designed to serve the masses, with a custom app, you have complete control over the app’s features.
Improved website performance: And since you can have an app that gives you all the features you need, you won’t have to add a bunch of other ones, which will slow down your store performance due to code conflict, draft code, etc.
Greater experience for your customers: A custom app is built around your store and your customer journey. So it will help you deliver a smoother on-site experience for your target audience, increasing your conversions.

But what do you need to build an app? Let us show you a quick guide to the Shopify app development tutorial!

If you’re a non-tech merchant who wants to hire someone to build a custom app for you, we suggest moving straight to the Best Shopify App Development Services part.

💡 Other Shopify Development Services you might be interested in:

Shopify App Development Tutorial

Wondering how to build a Shopify app that can cater to your specific needs? Below are a few basic steps to follow.

#1. Validate Your App Idea

Your idea of a custom Shopify app can be brilliant, but it would go to waste if you can’t validate your app ideas.

Here are 4 main questions to ask yourself before building a Shopify app:

Do your app’s main features solve a problem that you are facing?
How can you deal with the problem without that app?
Do you have enough expertise and capacity to build the app by yourself?
If a Shopify development service is needed, can they turn your expectation into reality?

validate idea — Image credit: PlaybookUX

#2. Design Your Shopify App

After taking all things into consideration – your app idea, your main purpose, and your resources, the next thing to do is to design your Shopify app.

Some questions you may want to ask yourself:

Your app name and its main functionality
What are the must-have and nice-to-have features of your app?
Do you want to keep your custom Shopify app for yourself or are you planning to publish it someday?

#3. Start Your Shopify App Development

Now, let’s get down to what you need to prepare for your Shopify app creation and submission.

What To Prepare Before Building Your Own App?

In order to develop Shopify app, here’s a list of what you need to prepare and comprehend:

A Shopify Partner account and a development store.
An ngrok account.
To be familiar with the command-line interface and text editor.
Can read and write in any language used for backend programming, including Ruby on Rails, Java, Python, and PHP.
Can use the npm package manager to install software.

prepare before building apps — Above is all you have to prepare yourself before creating your Shopify app

Shopify App Development Tools

No matter how good you’re at coding, to make the app development process easier, you’d want to utilize Shopify app development tools.

Though there are multiple tools and software, the following are some of the Shopify App Developers tools provided by Shopify that you may want to take a look at:

Shopify CLI: Shopify CLI is a command-line tool for managing and structuring Shopify apps. When you use Shopify CLI to build an app, you can pick the templates in Node.js, Ruby, or PHP language.
App Bridge: Shopify App Bridge is a JavaScript library that empowers you to embed your app directly inside the Shopify admin dashboard.
Shopify App Generator for Rails: a Rails engine used to build Shopify apps.

Building custom Shopify apps might be complicated and daunting. Therefore, LitExtension – #1 Shopping Cart Migration Expert highly recommends that you should employ other Shopify app development services to help you with this journey.

Keep reading to discover the best Shopify app developers who can assist you in building your own app.

Best Shopify App Development Services

If you’re an owner of a small e-store, building a custom Shopify app is such a complex thing. And, actually, you shouldn’t have to. Hire a Shopify expert to do it for you!

Here are the 3 best custom Shopify app development providers that you can rely on if you want a tailored-made application addressing your special needs.

#1. Litos

Building a high-performing app isn’t easy. So if you truly want to have a robust app built exclusively for your store, Litos is the first name we want to bring to today’s list.

Because Litos has been developing apps for Shopify merchants since the early days, they can develop an app that includes literally every out-of-the-box feature and integration you need.

litos best shopify app development service — Litos – one of the best Shopify app development services in the market

What Does Litos’s Shopify App Development Service Cover?

Based on your custom request, Litos app developers will build you an all-in-one application:

Order and shipping features, such as automatic fulfillment, order tracking, etc.
Sales-boosting features, such as product bundles, quantity breaks, gifts with purchase, etc.
Profit-tracking tool to closely monitor your profit & losses.
Currency converters & language translation to help localize your store for different countries.
Or any custom feature and integration you want.

#2. Mageplaza

Mageplaza is another premier agency that you can outsource to develop Shopify app for your custom demands.

With years of experience developing Shopify apps, the Mageplaza team can build you a custom Shopify app that is going to give you the best experience.

Mageplaza Shopify App Development — Mageplaza is a top-tier Shopify app development provider with years of experience

What Does Mageplaza’s Shopify App Development Service Cover?

Mageplaza’s comprehensive Shopify custom development service includes:

Build custom apps with any feature you need to run your business – SEO, inventory management, order tracking, email, upselling, etc.
Install Shopify apps per your request to ensure the installation and setup is error-free.
Customize and fix your existing apps – If you have issues with your current apps or simply want to customize these apps further, Mageplaza also got your back.

#3. Magenest

Last but certainly not least, Magenest is another name worth mentioning in this list. This agency has a team of certified experts with years of experience building apps for Shopify merchants.

If you want out-of-the-box features that none of the apps on the App Store support, Magenest can be your lifesaver. They have been creating apps for thousands of Shopify merchants around the globe.

Magenest Shopify App Development — Magenest is one of the best value Shopify app development providers out there.

What Does Magenest’s Shopify App Development Service Cover?

Magenest’s Shopify app development service includes:

Building Shopify apps based on your store’s needs. Like Litos and Mageplaza, Magenest team can develop a custom app that has any feature you want – email marketing, profit calculator, order tracking, etc
Developing extended features for your Shopify store without you having to install an app on the Shopify app store. For instance, the ajax cart, smart filter, etc.

Shopify App Development – FAQs

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Final Words

All in all, with the eCommerce industry getting increasingly fierce, Shopify development app is the solution many merchants use to make their stores stand out from the crowd. And that makes building custom Shopify apps a lucrative industry for app developers.

However, not all developers have the same expertise and what it takes to build an actual helpful and easy-to-use app. So if you want to outsource an agency to develop an app for you, be selective about whom you’re going to work with.

Consider giving Litos’ Shopify app development a shot? Just book a free 1-on-1 consult with us and let us see what we can do to help.

And by the way, feel free to join our Facebook Community where you can befriend and learn eCommerce tips & tricks from 12K+ entrepreneurs like you.