Shopify API Breaking Changes: Debugging Guide

Stay ahead of Shopify API changes with proactive monitoring, testing, and debugging strategies to ensure smooth integrations and avoid disruptions.

Shopify‘s API updates can disrupt your integrations if not proactively managed. Every quarter, older API versions are phased out, with a 12-month support cycle and a 9-month migration window. For example, the 2024-01 API version will no longer work after January 1, 2025. Ignoring these changes can lead to integration failures, system errors, and even sales losses.

Here’s how to stay ahead:

  • Monitor Updates: Use tools like the Developer Changelog, Partner Dashboard, and API Health Reports.
  • Debug Issues: Check for deprecated endpoints, update API references, and resolve authentication errors.
  • Test Regularly: Validate compatibility with tools like GraphQL Explorer and automated testing pipelines.
  • Plan Updates: Schedule quarterly reviews to ensure long-term compatibility.

A Comprehensive Guide on How to Fix Shopify Deprecated API Calls

Shopify

Shopify API Versioning and Updates Explained

Shopify uses a quarterly release schedule for its API versions, ensuring a balance between platform updates and integration stability. Each version is labeled with a date-based format (e.g., 2025-01) and has specific URL structures depending on the API type.

How Shopify API Versioning Works

Here’s how API endpoints are structured:

  • GraphQL Admin API: /admin/api/{api_version}/graphql.json
  • Storefront API: /api/{api_version}/graphql.json
  • Payments Apps API: /payments_apps/api/{api_version}/graphql.json

Shopify provides a 9-month overlap between stable versions [1]. Developers can check the API version being used by referencing the X-Shopify-API-Version header in responses. This verification process works alongside the monitoring tools discussed earlier.

Why Breaking Changes Happen

Shopify doesn’t make breaking changes randomly. Here’s why they occur:

  1. Security Updates: To protect stores and customer data.
  2. Performance Improvements: To enhance API efficiency and response times.
  3. Feature Updates: To replace outdated features with better alternatives.
  4. System Upgrades: To align with changes in Shopify’s core platform.

Shopify uses a "fall forward" mechanism, which processes requests using the oldest supported version if an unsupported API is called [1]. While helpful in the short term, this isn’t a permanent fix for app performance.

To handle updates effectively, Shopify provides several tools:

Tool Purpose
API Health Report Flags deprecated fields and resources
GraphQL Explorer Lets developers test queries with different API versions
Developer Changelog Lists upcoming breaking changes

Identifying and Analyzing Breaking Changes

Once you understand why breaking changes happen, the next step is figuring out how to spot them early. Shopify offers a range of tools and methods to help developers detect and evaluate these changes before they disrupt apps or stores.

Using Shopify’s API Changelog

The API changelog is your go-to resource for staying updated on API updates. Here’s how to use it effectively:

  • Check the changelog regularly to stay informed.
  • Filter by API type to focus on relevant updates (Admin API, Storefront API, or Payments Apps API).
  • Pay attention to deprecation notices, especially for endpoints or fields scheduled for removal.

To prioritize changes, use this severity matrix:

Priority Level Change Type
Critical Security updates & authentication changes – act immediately
High Deprecated endpoints & field removals – update within 3 months
Medium New feature replacements – implement within 6 months
Low Documentation updates – review during routine maintenance

Tools for Detecting API Issues

Shopify also provides tools designed to help you spot compatibility problems:

  • API Health Report Dashboard: This tool automatically highlights:

    • Deprecated fields in use
    • Calls to unsupported API versions
    • Authentication scope issues
    • Rate limiting warnings
  • GraphQL API Explorer: A hands-on tool to:

    • Test queries across different API versions
    • Identify deprecated fields in real time
    • Compare how various API versions behave

When working with these tools, focus on three key areas:

  • Version Compatibility: Keep track of the API versions your app relies on. The health report flags calls to unsupported versions, helping you avoid disruptions when older versions are retired.
  • Resource Usage: Understand which API resources your app depends on so you can prioritize updates when breaking changes are announced.

For critical systems, automated monitoring is essential to stay aligned with Shopify’s quarterly update cycle. These tools lay the groundwork for the debugging strategies covered in the next section.

Debugging Guide for Shopify API Issues

When changes in Shopify’s API disrupt your integration, a step-by-step debugging process can help pinpoint and fix the problems.

Handling Deprecated Endpoints and Fields

Once you’ve identified deprecated endpoints or fields (as outlined earlier), you can take these steps to resolve them:

  • Update API References: Ensure your API version in URL paths is current (e.g., /admin/api/2025-01/graphql.json) and replace outdated fields with their recommended alternatives.
  • If you’re migrating from older versions (e.g., 2024-01), double-check that all endpoints and fields comply with the latest Shopify API guidelines.

Fixing Authentication and Access Scope Errors

If you’re encountering scope or authentication errors, even after updating permissions, here’s how to address common issues:

Issue Cause Solution
Token Expiration Using outdated access tokens Generate new tokens via the OAuth flow
Scope Mismatch Missing required permissions Update app scopes and re-authenticate
Invalid Credentials Incorrect API key or secret Double-check credentials in app settings

Managing Rate Limiting and Performance

Improving Performance

  • Combine related queries into bulk operations to reduce API calls.
  • Use Shopify’s async jobs API to queue background tasks efficiently.
  • Implement caching layers and handle rate limits with exponential backoff retries.

Maintaining Long-Term API Compatibility

Adding Version Checks to Your Code

Make sure to include explicit version checks in your API requests and validate responses using the X-Shopify-API-Version header. Pair this header validation with the API Health Report mentioned earlier to keep track of version changes effectively:

const endpoint = `/admin/api/${API_VERSION}/graphql.json`;

Using Continuous Testing and Integration

Take your monitoring setup further by creating automated testing pipelines with Shopify CLI. Here’s a breakdown of how to approach different testing phases:

Testing Phase Tool Purpose
Development Local testing with the unstable API version Spot breaking changes early
Staging Automated tests on the latest stable version Ensure everything works before deployment
Production Health checks with version tracking Monitor compatibility in real-time

Seeking Professional Shopify Support

If your team needs more specialized help beyond automated testing, professional Shopify support services can be a great option. These services can handle advanced tasks like:

  • Custom API development
  • Improving performance
  • Conducting compatibility reviews

For complex API migrations or unique integrations, leveraging Shopify-specific expertise can save time and reduce risks significantly.

Conclusion: Preparing for Shopify API Changes

To keep your Shopify API integrations running smoothly, it’s crucial to follow a structured plan. Shopify’s versioning schedule gives developers a 12-month window to adapt to updates, with a 9-month overlap between stable versions [1]. Use this timeline wisely by setting up automated monitoring tools, such as the API health report, and scheduling regular version updates – ideally every quarter.

Pair these monitoring efforts with continuous integration practices to create a reliable update workflow. Focus on key strategies like header validation and thorough testing to ensure your API integrations remain stable. These steps help minimize risks and keep your applications running without interruptions during version transitions.

If you’re navigating complex API changes, leaning on specialized expertise, as discussed earlier, can make the process smoother and improve your integration’s performance. Staying proactive in testing and updates is essential to maintaining reliability and avoiding disruptions.

Related Blog Posts

Share Article:

Could you scale faster if you had a team of specialist on
standby to handle all of your Shopify tasks?

Design. Development. Support

A dedicated team on standby, for whatever you need