I've seen a few posts on this and other Shopify communities of people asking how to become a Shopify Developer.

A lot of the responses don't really go in depth on all the skills required to become a Shopify Developer so I figured I would make a post about it.

I’ve been working as a Shopify Plus Developer for the past 4 years and this is what I would do if I was learning Shopify Development again from scratch.

There’s 2 things you need to learn to get into Shopify Development:

1. Basic Web Development with HTML, CSS and JavaScript

2. Shopify specific skills like Shopify Liquid and the Shopify API

Basic Web Development

A Shopify Store is a type of website so you need to have a good understanding of the basics of Web Development.

Web Development can be broken down into 3 separate skills:

• HTML

• CSS

• JavaScript

Having those 3 skills will set you up for success with Shopify Development since a lot of the features and functionalities you’ll see in a Shopify Store are based on them.

That's a lot of stuff to learn in a short period of time so what I recommend is to look up a channel called "Free Code Camp" on YouTube and do some of their free video courses on HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

When I was first getting started with Web Development, I used Free Code Camp’s website and YouTube channel to learn the basics and I was blown away by how much value they were just giving away for free.

So your first move should be to hop onto Free Code Camp and start your learning journey there.

Pro Tip: If you’re watching a video course, test yourself by trying to build what you saw in the course yourself and add your own features to it. Doing this is a great way to make sure you understand what you just learned.

For example, if you watched a project on how to create a product page for an online store, you can follow along with the video and then add your own features or customizations on top of it.

Learning Shopify Theme Development and Shopify Liquid

Once you have a solid grasp on HTML, CSS and JavaScript, you’re ready to move onto learning Shopify Liquid.

Shopify Liquid is a language made by Shopify that uses HTML as a base and allows you to get access to the data of whatever Shopify Store you are working on.

Shopify Liquid is an essential part of Shopify Website Development so make sure you spend the time to learn it well.

To learn Shopify Liquid and Shopify Theme Development in general, you should first start with the Shopify Academy (which is a learning resource from Shopify).

And you can supplement that with what you can find on popular Shopify YouTube channels like:

• Coding with Jan

• Weeklyhow

• Chris the Freelancer

Pro Tip: Looking through the code in the Shopify Dawn Theme is a great way to get started with understanding Shopify Liquid and Shopify Theme Development. Some of the stuff in the Dawn theme is a little confusing at first but you’ll get a sense of what is possible when working with real Shopify Store data.

And once you’ve got a solid understanding of Shopify Theme Development, you’ll know pretty much all you need to start looking for work.

At this point you can start looking for freelance work or even start applying for the Shopify Developer jobs you might see posted online.

You can even use these skills to make your own Shopify Themes and sell them on the Shopify Theme store or on 3rd party marketplaces like Theme Forest.

Learning Shopify App Development and the Shopify API

If you want to take your Shopify Development skills to the next level, you can get into Shopify App Development.

Shopify app development is the process of creating apps to extend the functionality of an online store built on the Shopify platform.

Getting into Shopify App Development will require you to get pretty comfortable with Backend Development.

To get started with Backend Development, we need to head back to Free Code Camp to get a basic understanding of how to do it.

At this point you should know the basics of coding with JavaScript, so you could learn how to do backend development with NodeJS (this is what I did).

But if you want to explore backend development with another programming language, I would recommend learning either Python or Ruby since they are both easy to learn and there is a lot of content out there on how to use them.

Pro Tip: Don’t listen to people that tell you that one language is better than the other one. All that matters is that you can build stuff that is useful. Pick whatever language you like.

Do a few backend projects on Free Code Camp to get yourself comfortable with the basics.

Once you know how Backend Development works in general, now you need to look into how to use the Shopify API.

Probably the hardest part at this point will be getting through the Shopify App Authentication process.

I’m not gonna lie, getting through the Shopify Auth process took me years to fully understand because the documentation from Shopify is a little confusing.

But instead of banging your head against the wall for years like I did, just focus on how the auth process works in general and then adapt that to whatever language you are using.

Pro Tip: Don’t use one of Shopify’s app development templates. They’ll help you get through the auth process but you won’t really understand how everything works. It’s important to understand how everything works so you can develop a Shopify App in whatever language you want to work in.

Once you have a solid understanding of Shopify App Development, go build a couple of simple Shopify Apps to solidify what you learned.

The best way to practice is to look at apps that Shopify have built and try to create your own version of them.

After building a couple of simple apps, you should be good enough to start offering your new found skills to Shopify Plus companies or maybe you can apply to become a developer for a Shopify App company.

Or if you’re crazy like me, you can try to build your own Shopify app and get customers.

Either way, knowing Shopify App Development will open a lot of doors for you in future.

Shopify Development Resources

Gil Greenburg, a popular Shopify App Developer, launched a resource called "The Shopify Developer Training Plan" on Github. If you search this up on Google you should be able to find it:“Shopify Developer Training Plan Gil Greenburg”

It's a list of all the things you would need to know as a Shopify Developer.

It covers various topics related to Shopify Theme Development and Shopify App Development.

I recommend checking it out to get a full overview of everything you will need to know.

How I would approach learning all this stuff

If you’re completely new to web development, it’ll take a while to learn all of this stuff.

Don’t try to rush your way through everything. Take it slow and make consistent progress.

I would aim to spend about 2-3 hours a day learning and practicing. And if you can stick with that, you should be able to understand basic Shopify Theme Development in maybe 3 or 4 months.

Hopefully you enjoyed this post and found it helpful.

Also, I'm documenting building my first Shopify App on YouTube. If you're interesting in watching and following along with that journey, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@codethatconverts

I'm curious to know what's good, and what's not so good about being a solo, self employed Shopify developer.

I have 4 years experience working for a SaaS company, where I provide front-end web dev support to Shopify merchants (plus and non-plus). I do things like develop new custom theme features, modify themes, and troubleshoot + resolve website issues/bugs. I've worked on over 2000 shops. I'm an expert, but not a master. I also have prior non-Shopify web dev experience, doing both freelance and studio work.

I'm thinking about going solo again and working for myself — specializing exclusively in the Shopify niche (is it even a niche anymore?), but am wondering what it's been like for other Shopify developers out there who are working for themselves.

Do you have consistent work, and is your pay able to provide the lifestyle you want for yourself and your family? How do you enjoy working with your clients, and do they pay you on time?

Let us know what you like and dislike about what you do.

I can't find any reliable source of information on youtube. It's all just vague widespread not much in depth, unless u buy course, information.

What would be your course of action if you were 22 years old with a good understanding of HTML, CSS, JS, jQuery, Node, MongoDB, Bootstrap and express and wanted to niche down into becoming a shopify theme developer?

Where would you start, please be as detailed as possible..?

My partner and I are Business Savvy, and when it comes to our products, we are experts in our field. On the IT tech side, not so much...

We have a site we made, it's pretty basic, used a free theme, etc but we are keen on time management and don't really want to invest minutes/hours toward learning new skills.

What's the best way to economically put a little pizazz into our site? Best way to go about finding a developer to work with? I've tried before, but finding that developer that has a design vision, the artistry, but is also great with the backend has been difficult. Understanding what we want and implementing it I guess? Thoughts?

I’m looking to have an average monthly order of $10k. With a profit margin of 30%

Is it worth spending $2k on building the webstore or should I just build it myself/use a template

Quick context. I work as a web dev for an enterprise company. A neighbor has reached out asking me to build out an e-commerce site.

I'm looking into Shopify and I want to ask, are Shopify Developers getting paid to build out stores using Shopify's website building platform, or does the term Shopify Developer apply to situations where we build out a full stack or serverless app using something like Next and then integrate various components of Shopify into the app?

I want to know if I should be charging Shopify Developer rates for building out a store on the platform, or if I should just help guide my friend to the platform and accompanying tutorials. It's my understanding the whole point of the Shopify web platform is to be usable for Business Owners so that they don't have to hire someone like me.

That being said, I'd love to add this to my resume and land my first freelance client. I just don't want to feel like I'm ripping them off.

Also happy to hear current folks current rates.

Hi guys, since this is the place where I come for expert advice.

I got hired for a junior Shopify developer role as soon as I completed my bachelor's degree.

I consider myself lucky, I only knew basic web dev but good vanilla JS and CSS(Practiced JS through Hacker Rank and CSS through Figma designs). That's what is carrying me through this role but I'm not sure if they're gonna keep me after probation because I've been here for 6 weeks and I've seen several people getting laid off. But that's not the point.

I want to ask if I continue Shopify development, can I start freelancing? And what's the max per hour rate I can go to? Of course I'm gonna continue growing as a web and Shopify developer in general but which path should I focus more on?

Sorry if the post sounds vague but I'll appreciate your honest replies.

Hello everyone,

I searched on Reddit about whether developing a Shopify app is still worth it in 2025, but I found many conflicting answers. Some people say the market is oversaturated, while others believe there are still great opportunities.

For those with experience in Shopify app development, what’s your take on it? Is it still a good business to get into? What challenges should new developers expect, and how can we stand out in the competition?

I’d really appreciate any insights or advice.

Thanks!

I am curious to hear some perspectives from developers and entrepreneurs who have experience with Shopify. Is it still worth pursuing Shopify development in 2025, whether that means building apps, creating themes, or working on custom projects for clients? On one hand, the ecosystem feels very mature. The app store is crowded, Shopify has made changes to its revenue share that can make things tougher for smaller developers, and it can seem like many of the obvious opportunities have already been taken.

On the other hand, e-commerce is still growing, Shopify continues to roll out new features such as AI integrations, headless commerce, Hydrogen, and Oxygen, and there are always merchants looking for solutions to their specific problems. Part of me is considering whether it makes sense to step away from a stable job and take the leap into this space, either by focusing on app/ plugin development. There is definitely the appeal of new opportunities, independence, and the chance to build something scalable, but also the risk of spending months developing in a crowded and competitive market.

So my question is this: in your experience, is Shopify development still a worthwhile path in 2025 for someone who wants to build, learn, and potentially make a career shift? If you were starting today, would you choose Shopify as your focus, or would you look elsewhere for better opportunities?

Hi there! I'm wondering if there is any community where Shopify Developer's can connect? Been looking online for a bit and was unable to come up with anything really concrete for a community.

I'm a web developer with 10+ years of experience, largely in the WP space. I've done a few Shopify projects in my time a few years back but now my team is looking to integrate custom Shopify theme development into our service offering. I feel comfortable with Liquid and the JSON schema, but I'm curious to pick some other developers' brains who work regularly with Shopify to make sure I'm setting up the best possible workflow for working on Shopify sites for ground-up custom themes and working on pre-existing client themes for updates and new features. With WP, that process is pretty clear with defined tools and best practices, but not seeing as much of that with Shopify... So just want to know I'm on the right path for the path I'm crafting for our team.

Thanks!

I'm a data scientist by profession and a hobbyist developer, with my main language being Python. I'm looking into Shopify App Developer as a side hustle, and I was wondering how much shopify app developers make.

Some guide questions:

1. How much do you typically make off Shopify App development? How much do others in the space make?

2. What's the typical work flow for a Shopify App developer?

3. How much time do you devote to Shopify App development (Development, marketing, and after-sales support)?

Specifically to start off, a shopify theme developer?

Any great free resources you can recommend?

Is it a viable freelancing route?

How competitive is the market?

Add any additional information you deem useful.

Thanks.

React dev here and i love ecomm front ends. is it worth learning shopify or should i stick to getting better at React ecomm?

I've seen a few posts on this and other Shopify communities of people asking how to become a Shopify Developer.

A lot of the responses don't really go in depth on all the skills required to become a Shopify Developer so I figured I would make a post about it.

I’ve been working as a Shopify Plus Developer for the past 4 years and this is what I would do if I was learning Shopify Development again from scratch.

There’s 2 things you need to learn to get into Shopify Development:

1. Basic Web Development with HTML, CSS and JavaScript

2. Shopify specific skills like Shopify Liquid and the Shopify API

Basic Web Development

A Shopify Store is a type of website so you need to have a good understanding of the basics of Web Development.

Web Development can be broken down into 3 separate skills:

• HTML 

• CSS

• JavaScript

Having those 3 skills will set you up for success with Shopify Development since a lot of the features and functionalities you’ll see in a Shopify Store are based on them.

That's a lot of stuff to learn in a short period of time so what I recommend is to look up a channel called "Free Code Camp" on YouTube and do some of their free video courses on HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

When I was first getting started with Web Development, I used Free Code Camp’s website and YouTube channel to learn the basics and I was blown away by how much value they were just giving away for free.

So your first move should be to hop onto Free Code Camp and start your learning journey there.

Pro Tip: If you’re watching a video course, test yourself by trying to build what you saw in the course yourself and add your own features to it. Doing this is a great way to make sure you understand what you just learned.

For example, if you watched a project on how to create a product page for an online store, you can follow along with the video and then add your own features or customizations on top of it.

Learning Shopify Theme Development and Shopify Liquid

Once you have a solid grasp on HTML, CSS and JavaScript, you’re ready to move onto learning Shopify Liquid.

Shopify Liquid is a language made by Shopify that uses HTML as a base and allows you to get access to the data of whatever Shopify Store you are working on.

Shopify Liquid is an essential part of Shopify Website Development so make sure you spend the time to learn it well.

To learn Shopify Liquid and Shopify Theme Development in general, you should first start with the Shopify Academy (which is a learning resource from Shopify).

And you can supplement that with what you can find on popular Shopify YouTube channels like:

• Coding with Jan

• Weeklyhow

• Chris the Freelancer

Pro Tip: Looking through the code in the Shopify Dawn Theme is a great way to get started with understanding Shopify Liquid and Shopify Theme Development. Some of the stuff in the Dawn theme is a little confusing at first but you’ll get a sense of what is possible when working with real Shopify Store data.

And once you’ve got a solid understanding of Shopify Theme Development, you’ll know pretty much all you need to start looking for work. 

At this point you can start looking for freelance work or even start applying for the Shopify Developer jobs you might see posted online.

You can even use these skills to make your own Shopify Themes and sell them on the Shopify Theme store or on 3rd party marketplaces like Theme Forest.

Learning Shopify App Development and the Shopify API

If you want to take your Shopify Development skills to the next level, you can get into Shopify App Development. 

Shopify app development is the process of creating apps to extend the functionality of an online store built on the Shopify platform.

Getting into Shopify App Development will require you to get pretty comfortable with Backend Development.

To get started with Backend Development, we need to head back to Free Code Camp to get a basic understanding of how to do it.

At this point you should know the basics of coding with JavaScript, so you could learn how to do backend development with NodeJS (this is what I did).

But if you want to explore backend development with another programming language, I would recommend learning either Python or Ruby since they are both easy to learn and there is a lot of content out there on how to use them.

Pro Tip: Don’t listen to people that tell you that one language is better than the other one. All that matters is that you can build stuff that is useful. Pick whatever language you like.

Do a few backend projects on Free Code Camp to get yourself comfortable with the basics.

Once you know how Backend Development works in general, now you need to look into how to use the Shopify API.

Probably the hardest part at this point will be getting through the Shopify App Authentication process.

I’m not gonna lie, getting through the Shopify Auth process took me years to fully understand because the documentation from Shopify is a little confusing.

But instead of banging your head against the wall for years like I did, just focus on how the auth process works in general and then adapt that to whatever language you are using.

Pro Tip: Don’t use one of Shopify’s app development templates. They’ll help you get through the auth process but you won’t really understand how everything works. It’s important to understand how everything works so you can develop a Shopify App in whatever language you want to work in.

Once you have a solid understanding of Shopify App Development, go build a couple of simple Shopify Apps to solidify what you learned.

The best way to practice is to look at apps that Shopify have built and try to create your own version of them.

After building a couple of simple apps, you should be good enough to start offering your new found skills to Shopify Plus companies or maybe you can apply to become a developer for a Shopify App company.

Or if you’re crazy like me, you can try to build your own Shopify app and get customers.

Either way, knowing Shopify App Development will open a lot of doors for you in future.

Shopify Development Resources 

Gil Greenburg, a popular Shopify App Developer, launched a resource called "The Shopify Developer Training Plan" on Github. If you search this up on Google you should be able to find it:“Shopify Developer Training Plan Gil Greenburg”

It's a list of all the things you would need to know as a Shopify Developer.

It covers various topics related to Shopify Theme Development and Shopify App Development.

I recommend checking it out to get a full overview of everything you will need to know.

How I would approach learning all this stuff

If you’re completely new to web development, it’ll take a while to learn all of this stuff.

Don’t try to rush your way through everything. Take it slow and make consistent progress.

I would aim to spend about 2-3 hours a day learning and practicing. And if you can stick with that, you should be able to understand basic Shopify Theme Development in maybe 3 or 4 months.

Hopefully you enjoyed this post and found it helpful.

By the way, I'm offering a free one-on-one mentorship to help someone get started with Shopify development. If you're serious about diving deep into Shopify development and want personalized guidance, reach out to me directly or leave a comment on this post.

Hey everyone, I’ve been thinking about specializing in Shopify development as a freelancer. I already have some experience with web design (mainly Webflow), and I’m wondering if it’s still worth learning Shopify dev in 2025. I see mixed opinions online some say Shopify is growing fast, others say the market is getting saturated or that AI tools will replace basic store setups soon. For those currently working in this field (or clients hiring Shopify devs), how do you see the demand and earning potential going forward? Is it still a good long-term skill to invest in, or should I focus on something else like Webflow, Framer, or Headless eCommerce? Would love to hear honest takes from people actually doing thi

Hello Shopify Fam,

I am a graphic designer with a lot of experience in setting up Shopify stores but I want to delve deeper in to Shopify and be able to create custom themes/sections. I have been getting enquiries from potential clients to help with their website but I want to offer more than just starting up their store for them.

I have some experience in html and css as I have been learning throughout lockdown. I have also been getting balls deep in Webflow and I really enjoy the whole process of building and coding a website.

I have been looking for some courses/websites to really dig deep and learn Shopify dev but it seems that most tuts are either out dated or there’s not enough info.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where I could get some good info/ course I could take or the best place to start to become a solid Shopify developer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks x

Looking for a Shopify developer that's reliable, I know Shopify has a Shopify experts page on their site but that's all I know of.

yo guys i want to start shopify app dev with nextjs any resources to help me with that