Storefront API

While Shopify themes receive their data directly through Liquid, custom frontends access the store through the Storefront API: product data, search, cart operations, customer accounts and the handover to checkout all run through GraphQL queries. The API is designed for public access from browser and app environments.

It is the technical foundation of headless commerce with Shopify: web storefronts built with Hydrogen or Next.js, native mobile apps, in-store kiosks or commerce features embedded in existing websites. Individual features — a product configurator on a landing page, say — can be built with it too, without going fully headless.

It is distinct from the Admin API, which is meant for backend operations such as product management, order handling and integrations, and has different authentication and rate limits. Rule of thumb: Storefront API for everything customers see and do, Admin API for everything systems manage behind the scenes.