Using Shopify's API for Building Integrations

Shopify is fast, simple and efficient, but practically it can be hard to integrate it with other technologies. The solution provides several Application Programming Interfaces, but it involves a lot of hand coding for setting up point-to-point integrations. Shopify API integration can help enterprises to connect with millions of customers and deliver a number of benefits. Teams can release in cadence in IT by combining different platforms, engines, and other services used by clients.

Shopify API for Integration

The Shopify platform supports XML and JSON with HTTP requests, i.e., GET, POST, and DELETE. The Shopify API works with 35 methods but they are quite complex. The Shopify API reference section provides integration for specific types of categories, customers, orders, products, etc. Each method solves different purpose and fixes one problem at one particular time. After receiving an API access token, organization's can send authentication requests to a REST API. The tokens come with a header: X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}.

A developer should get credentials that would deliver access to particular data. The API key needs to be created with a private app in the admin page of the Shopify store. There are few steps which need to be followed:

Step 1: Register a shop or business on Shopify.

Step 2: In the admin page press Apps>Private Apps>Create a Private App.

Step 3: Search the API Key.

Step 4: Click the Tool option.

Step 5: Click Authentication to authenticate.

Shopify API: Getting Started 

Shopify provides a Software Development Kit (SDK) that provides different documentation that you need. The SDK includes the necessary tools and documentation for the Shopify integration service. Here are some examples where the SDK is helpful:

• Developing a Shipping Service: The Carrier API services enable developers to register a carrier service. The developers can adjust rates, and offer documents in the customer’s cart.

• Shopify from another platform: With the help of API orders, developers can allow merchants to bring the orders into Shopify from an e-commerce platform. This capability allows for the driving of top line sales through marketing apps and channels. Teams get the flexibility to mark the order with order status.

• Import products to a Shopify store: With the help of Products API, developers can enable merchants to import huge volumes of products into Shopify. This advantage helps merchants in reusing spreadsheets and troubleshooting imports.

These API integration tools are a perfect fit for connecting specific services with shopping API2Cart. However, with these tools, it is difficult to integrate Shopify with other platforms like Magento, BigCommerce, etc. Moreover, integrating this way doesn’t provide you with scalability and reusable connectivity. Integration is a resource intensive and high maintenance operation where IT intervention is required to create integrations.