Storefront API Queries for Headless Shopify Builds

13 minutes read

Jan 21, 2026

Why Headless Shopify Needs the Storefront API

Shopify has evolved a lot over the years. Earlier, most Shopify stores were built using themes and Liquid templates. Today, many brands want more control, better speed, and a unique user experience. At this stage, Headless Shopify provides a better solution.

Headless Shopify means the website design and Shopify’s core system are not tightly connected. Shopify still manages products, orders, customers, and payments, but the frontend is built using modern frameworks like React, Next.js, Vue, or even mobile apps. To connect this custom frontend with Shopify, developers use the Storefront API.

In this blog post, we will understand what the Shopify Storefront API is, how Storefront API queries work, and why they are important for headless Shopify builds.

What Is Headless Shopify?

Headless Shopify means the frontend (store interface) is not built using Shopify themes. Instead:

Shopify works as the backend
The frontend is built separately
Data is fetched using APIs

This approach allows developers to create fast, flexible, and fully custom storefronts.

For example:

A React website using Shopify as a backend
A mobile app connected to Shopify
A custom landing page pulling products from Shopify

In all these cases, Storefront API plays a key role.

What Is Shopify Storefront API?

The Storefront API is Shopify’s GraphQL interface that enables custom frontends to read and interact with storefront data. It focuses on customer interactions such as browsing products and purchasing items.

Using Storefront API, you can:

Fetch products and collections
Display product prices and images
Create and manage carts
Handle customer login
Redirect users to checkout

This API is safe to use on the frontend and is optimized for storefront performance.

Difference Between Storefront API and Admin API

Many developers get confused between the Shopify Admin API and the Storefront API.

Here is a simple comparison:

Storefront API

Used on the frontend
Customer-facing
Limited access
Safe to expose
Used for browsing and buying products

Admin API

Used on the backend
Store owner operations
Full access
Must be kept secure
Used for managing products, orders, and settings

For headless Shopify storefronts, Storefront API is the correct choice.

Why Storefront API Is Essential for Headless Builds

In traditional Shopify themes, Liquid handles everything automatically. But in headless builds, there is no Liquid rendering.

That means:

Product data must be fetched manually
Cart logic must be handled using APIs
Checkout flow must be connected using Shopify APIs

Storefront API solves all these problems by providing direct access to Shopify store data.

Without the storefront API, building a headless Shopify store is not possible.

Storefront API Uses GraphQL

Shopify Storefront API is built using GraphQL, not REST.

Why GraphQL Is Better

You fetch only what you need
Faster response times
Less data transfer
Flexible query structure
Better performance on frontend apps

For example, if you only need the product title and price, GraphQL allows you to request only those fields.

Example of a Basic Storefront API Query

Here is a simple query to fetch products:


query {
  products(first: 10) {
	edges {
  	node {
    	id
    	title
    	handle
        description
        priceRange {
          minVariantPrice {
            amount
            currencyCode
      	}
    	}
        images(first: 1) {
      	edges {
        	node {
              url
              altText
        	}
      	}
    	}
  	}
	}
  }
}

This query returns:

Product name
Description
Price
Image

You can customize this query based on your frontend design

Common Storefront API Queries Used in Headless Shopify

Product Listing Queries

Used on:

Homepage
Collection pages
Category pages

These queries fetch multiple products with pagination.

Single Product Query

Used on:

Product detail pages

Products can be fetched using:

Product handle
Product ID

This helps create SEO-friendly product URLs.

Cart Management Queries

Storefront API allows you to:

Create a cart
Add items to cart
Update item quantity
Remove items
Fetch cart details

Cart logic is fully handled through API calls in headless builds.

Customer Account Queries

Using Storefront API, you can:

Create customer accounts
Log in customers
Fetch customer orders
Display order history

This is useful for building custom account pages.

Checkout and Payment Flow

In headless Shopify:

Shopify still handles checkout
The Storefront API creates a checkout URL
Customers are redirected to secure Shopify checkout

This keeps payments safe and PCI compliant.

Authentication and Storefront Access Token

To use the Storefront API, you need a Storefront Access Token.

How It Works

The Token is generated in Shopify Admin
The Token is public and safe to use
It allows limited access to storefront data only

This token is required in API request headers to authenticate your queries.

Performance Tips for Storefront API Queries

To build a fast headless store, follow these best practices:

Request only required fields
Avoid deeply nested queries
Use pagination for large data
Cache API responses when possible
Handle loading and error states properly

Optimized queries improve speed and user experience.

Use Cases of Storefront API

Storefront API is ideal for:

Headless Shopify websites
Mobile apps
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
Custom landing pages
Multi-storefront setups

It gives full flexibility without sacrificing Shopify’s reliability.

Build faster headless Shopify stores with API power

The Way Forward

The Shopify Storefront API is the foundation of headless Shopify development. It allows developers to build modern, fast, and fully custom storefronts while Shopify handles all commerce-related tasks.

By understanding Storefront API queries, you gain full control over how your store data is fetched and displayed. The Storefront API plays a key role in building headless Shopify solutions across websites, mobile apps, and custom digital experiences.

If you are planning to move towards headless commerce, learning Storefront API is a must.

Free Consultation

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Kinjal Patel

Jan 21 2026

Kinjal Patel is a Senior Project Manager with over 15 years of experience delivering complex digital and e-commerce solutions. She brings deep expertise in Magento, Shopify, and PrestaShop, and has successfully led cross-functional teams to design, develop, and launch scalable, high-performing online platforms across multiple industries.
Known for driving enterprise-level project delivery, she excels in streamlining processes, managing risks, and maintaining strong stakeholder alignment throughout the project lifecycle. Her approach consistently ensures that delivered solutions meet business objectives, technical standards, and user expectations.