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Development stores

A development store is a free Shopify store that comes with limitations. As a Shopify Partner, you can create an unlimited number of development stores.

You can use a development store to build and test themes or apps that you create. Development stores can be used with tools like Shopify CLI and the Shopify GitHub integration so that you can preview, test, and share themes that you're building.

You can also use a development store to set up a Shopify store for a client. Setting up a development store and transferring it to a client gives you a recurring commission.

In both cases, the process for creating a development store is the same. However, certain development store features, such as developer previews and installing custom or draft apps, prevent you from transferring the store to a client.

If you've created a Shopify Partner account after April 28, 2023, you'll have access to a quickstart development store by default.

Anchor to PrerequisitesPrerequisites

To create or access a development store, you need a Shopify Partner account.

Anchor to Development stores and Shopify CLIDevelopment stores and Shopify CLI

To use a development store or Plus sandbox store with Shopify CLI, you need to be the store owner, or have a staff account on the store. Staff accounts are created automatically the first time you access a development store with your Partner staff account through the Partner Dashboard.

Anchor to Create a development store to build and test your themeCreate a development store to build and test your theme

  1. From your Partner Dashboard, click Stores.

  2. Click Add store > Create development store.

  3. In the Development store use section, select Create a store to test and build.

  4. In the Store details section, enter a name for your store.

    The store name is used to create the store's myshopify.com URL. This URL can't be changed.

  5. Choose the build that you want to use.

    If you select a Developer preview, then you can select a developer preview version from the drop-down list. Development stores that use a developer preview can't be transferred to a merchant.

  6. Under Data and configurations, choose whether to start with an empty store, or with a store that's populated with test data generated by Shopify. Stores that start with generated test data can't be transferred to a merchant.

  7. Click Create development store.

When you're done working on a development store, you can archive it.

Anchor to Generated test dataGenerated test data

By default, Shopify stores are created empty, without any data. To speed up the development and testing process, you can create a development store that's populated with test data generated by Shopify.

The generated test data set includes the most common commerce primitives and configurations that you need to test an app, theme, or custom storefront, including some Plus-specific features.

Learn about the contents of the generated test data set.

Anchor to Quickstart development stores for new Partner organizationsQuickstart development stores for new Partner organizations

When a new Partner organization is created, Shopify automatically creates a development store called Quickstart. This store is a non-transferable development store that's populated with generated test data. You can immediately use this store to test apps, themes, and custom storefronts.

If you sign up using a single sign on provider, or using an existing Shopify ID, then the quickstart store is created immediately. If you sign up using an email address, then the quickstart store is created after you verify your email address.

You can access the quickstart store from the stores list in Shopify CLI, or by logging into your Partner account and finding the store on the Stores page.

Anchor to Create a development store for a clientCreate a development store for a client

  1. From your Partner Dashboard, click Stores.

  2. Click Add store > Create development store.

  3. In the Development store use section, select Create a store for a client.

  4. In the Store details section, enter a name for the client's store.

    The store name is used to create the store's myshopify.com URL. This URL can't be changed.

  5. Choose the country or region where the client's business is located. This information is used to set up default shipping rates and recommend region-appropriate apps.

  6. Click Create development store.

When you're done working on a development store, you can hand it off to a client or archive it.

Tip

When building a store for a client, finish as much development work as possible before transferring ownership.

Anchor to Sharing your development storeSharing your development store

Development stores are always password protected. You can remove the password page after you transfer the store to a merchant or switch to a paid plan. Development store password pages can't be customized.

Visitors can view development stores in the following ways:

  • By entering a password on the development store password page
  • By logging into the development store’s admin
  • Through a Shopify Theme Store or Shopify App Store demo link

Anchor to Viewing or setting the passwordViewing or setting the password

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Preferences.
  2. In the Password protection > Password field, enter a password. This is the password that you'll give to the visitors who you want to be able to access the online store. Don't use the same password that you use to log in to your admin.
  3. Click Save.
Note

The Message for your visitors field isn't editable for development stores.

Anchor to Viewing and editing the customizable password pageViewing and editing the customizable password page

Although the customizable password page isn't used to control access to your development store, you can still view it after you log in, or edit it from the Shopify admin.

To view the customizable password page, logged-in visitors can navigate to https://your-store-name.myshopify.com/password, where your-store-name is the name of the development store.

You can edit the customizable password page using the theme editor, or by editing the theme's password.liquid file.

Anchor to Theme Store and App Store listingsTheme Store and App Store listings

You can use a development store as a demo store in Shopify Theme Store or App Store listings. When a visitor clicks on the demo link in a listing, the development store password page doesn't appear. You don't need to change any settings in the development store to enable this functionality.

Learn more about demo stores for the Shopify Theme Store.

Learn more about demo links for the Shopify App Store.

Anchor to Developer previewsDeveloper previews

When you create a development store, you have the option to enable a developer preview. A developer preview gives you early access to new Shopify features so that you can build and test your apps before the new features are released to merchants.

A development store with a developer preview enabled includes all of the features that are available on the Advanced Shopify plan, but the store can't be transferred to another owner or transitioned to a paid plan.

Anchor to Features and limitations of development storesFeatures and limitations of development stores

Development stores include most of the features that are available on the Advanced Shopify plan.

You can do the following tasks while building and testing a development store:

  • Process an unlimited number of test orders
  • Create an unlimited number of unique products
  • Create up to 10 custom apps
  • Assign a custom domain

A development store has the following limitations:

A development store that has a developer preview enabled has the following limitations:

  • You don't have access to domains.
  • You can't transfer the store to another owner or transition the store to a paid plan.

Anchor to Next stepsNext steps

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