Open-Source Shopify Storefront SDK Development

Paschal Elechi

Completed work

Backend Engineer

Node.js

npm

TypeScript

E-Commerce

Case Study: Open-Source Shopify Storefront SDK (Node.js)

Built to simplify Shopify Storefront API development, improve DX, and accelerate backend integrations.

Project Overview

While building a full-stack mobile application using React Native and a Node.js backend, I encountered major limitations with existing Shopify Storefront packages. Many were incomplete, poorly typed, or missing key queries needed for modern commerce workflows. Others were too heavy, frontend-oriented, or difficult to extend.

To solve this problem, I developed an open-source Shopify Storefront SDK for Node.js lightweight, strongly typed, flexible, and designed specifically for backend developers who want speed, productivity, and full control.

This SDK packages essential queries, provides built-in types, ensures developer-friendly methods, and supports custom GraphQL queries out of the box.

Problem Statement

While using Shopify’s Storefront API, I noticed:

Existing NPM packages either lacked full query support

Some had incomplete or missing core queries

TypeScript support was inconsistent or missing

Packages were aimed at frontend use, not backend

Documentation and extensibility were limited

Rewriting common queries slowed development

Developers needed a backend-friendly, Node.js-ready, type-safe solution that made Shopify integration easier not harder.

My Solution

I created a Node.js Storefront SDK with the following goals:

Provide core Shopify queries out-of-the-box

Support TypeScript with strong typing

Offer a clean, intuitive API

Allow developers to extend with custom queries

Support both import and require (dual-module)

Be fully open-source and community-driven

Features & Capabilities

Core Queries Included

The SDK ships with essential Shopify Storefront queries:

Products

Collections

Cart

Customer

Buyer Identity

Customer Access Token Creation

Checkout helpers

And more…

Not every Shopify query is included yet—but the most important ones are, and more will be added over time.

Custom Query Support

Pass any custom GraphQL query and variables effortlessly. No need to rewrite clients or reconfigure fetch logic.

Fully Typed (TypeScript)

Built for real-world backend applications, with:

Autocomplete

Type safety

Zero guesswork

Dual Module Support

Works with both:

const {default: shopify} = require("shopify-storefront-sdk");

and

import shopify from "shopify-storefront-sdk";

Designed for Node.js

Optimized for backend usage—not the browser.

Lightweight Architecture

No unnecessary abstractions; just what you need to query Shopify fast and clean.

Open-Source

Developers can inspect, customize, and contribute.

🛠️ Tech Stack

Node.js

TypeScript

GraphQL

REST + Fetch API

ESM + CommonJS support

NPM Distribution

Impact

This SDK significantly improves developer experience when integrating Shopify into:

Backend systems

Mobile app backends

Microservices

Serverless functions

E-commerce automations

Developers no longer need to manually manage boilerplate queries or debug incomplete packages.

Early testers noted:

Reduced development time

Fewer API errors due to typings

Cleaner and more maintainable code

Simpler onboarding for teams

📂 Source Code & Installation

The SDK is available on NPM:

npm install shopify_storefront_sdk

GitHub Repository (open-source): 👉 Insert your GitHub link here

🤝 Contributions Welcome

This project is growing, and contributions of any kind—improving queries, adding types, fixing bugs—are highly appreciated.

If you find it useful, please star the repo, share it, or open a PR!

📘 Summary

The Shopify Storefront SDK for Node.js solves a real industry problem—missing, incomplete, or unfriendly packages for backend developers. It is fast, type-safe, open-source, and built with extensibility at its core.

This project represents:

Real-world problem solving

Backend optimization

Open-source contribution

Strong engineering craftsmanship