Distributing Your App

First, the naming

Older articles talk about "private apps". That type no longer exists — Shopify deprecated it in 2022 and converted the remaining ones to custom apps. If you are following a tutorial that says "create a private app", it is out of date.

Today there are three ways an app gets onto a store:

Choosing between custom and public

Path A — a custom app for a client

This is the common case for agency work: you built something for one merchant and need it on their store.

1. Finish the production setup

   Your app must be deployed and reachable on a real HTTPS domain, with production environment variables in place (Note 11). The install will fail against a tunnel URL that is no longer running.

2. Choose the distribution method

   Dev Dashboard → your app → Home → the Distribution card → Select distribution method → Custom distribution → confirm.

3. Generate the install link

   Enter the store's myshopify.com (or admin.shopify.com) domain, then Generate link and copy it.

   There is an option allowing installs across multiple stores in one Plus organization. Clear it if you want the app locked to a single store.

4. Release a version

   shopify app deploy, so the app has a released version with the right URLs and scopes. Without one, the link will not install anything.

5. Send the link to the store owner

   They open it, review the permissions, and click install. It must be the store owner or a staff member with permission to install apps.

6. Verify together

   Open the app in their admin and use the main feature. Confirm webhooks arrive (shopify app logs) and check your server logs for errors.

Path B — publishing to the App Store

Longer, and the review is a real gate. Budget weeks, not days — including time for a rejection and a resubmission.

1. Meet the technical requirements first

   Before writing any listing copy, make sure the app itself qualifies:

   • Installs cleanly via OAuth, and re-installs cleanly for a returning merchant.
   • If embedded, uses App Bridge and session token authentication.
   • No broken UI, no 404s or 500s in normal use.
   • Any storefront/theme changes use theme app extensions — not direct theme edits (Note 17).
   • All charges go through Shopify's billing system, tested end to end (Note 16).
   • Subscribed to the three compliance webhooks and responding correctly — apps are rejected without them (Note 15).
   • It is a finished, stable product — not a beta.

2. Select public distribution

   Dev Dashboard → app → Home → Distribution card → Select distribution method → Public distribution → confirm.

3. Prepare a demo store

   A development store set up to showcase the app, linked so reviewers and merchants can see it working. Point it at the page that best demonstrates the value, with a little guidance on what to do there.

4. Build the listing

   • Screenshots: 3–6 desktop images at 1600×900. Crop out browser chrome. No personal data, no pricing claims, no fake reviews. Include mobile/POS shots if relevant.
   • App introduction: 100 characters, benefit-led. "We package and ship your orders. Fast fulfillment can boost sales" beats "A creative solution for your needs."
   • Write plainly about outcomes. Avoid keyword stuffing and unprovable claims.

5. Write the testing instructions

   The most commonly underestimated step. Reviewers need test credentials and clear steps to reach your app's main feature. A short screencast helps a lot. Apps get rejected purely for being hard to test.

6. Submit, and expect a conversation

   Your submission moves through statuses: Submitted → possibly Paused (core requirements missing — you fix and resubmit) → Reviewed (the reviewer needs to discuss something — you must reply) → Published.

   You can withdraw at any point. Rejection is normal on a first attempt; read the email carefully, fix exactly what it lists, and resubmit.

Updating an app that is already installed

Once merchants have your app, releasing changes means remembering both deploys (Note 11):

# code → your server
git pull && docker compose up -d --build

# settings → Shopify
shopify app deploy

If a settings release goes wrong, roll back to the previous version:

shopify app versions list
shopify app release --version=<previous>

Common questions

Before you send an install link to a real client

• App deployed and reachable at its production HTTPS domain.
• Production config active — shopify app info names the right app.
• A version released with the correct URLs and scopes.
• Scopes match in the TOML and the server's environment variables.
• Tested on a dev store using the production build, not a tunnel.
• Uninstall and reinstall tested — no data lost (Note 04 and 05).
• Webhooks confirmed arriving.
• You have a rollback plan and a recent database backup.

Cheat sheet

# three ways onto a store
custom app          install link → specific store(s)        no review
public app          Shopify App Store                       review required
merchant custom     built in the store admin                no extensions,
                                                            no protected scopes

# "private app" — deprecated in 2022, now custom apps

# custom distribution
Dev Dashboard → app → Home → Distribution → Select method
→ Custom → enter store domain → Generate link → send to owner
(needs a released version: shopify app deploy)

# public distribution
technical requirements → select Public → demo store
→ listing (3-6 screenshots @1600x900, 100-char intro)
→ test credentials + screencast → submit
Submitted → Paused → Reviewed → Published

# updating merchants
code   → your host
config → shopify app deploy
new scopes → EACH merchant must approve in their admin