Hosting and Installation Architecture for a Custom Wishlist Shopify App

[greeshma]

Hi everyone,
I’ve recently developed a custom wishlist app for Shopify and I’m planning to publish it on the Shopify App Store. I have a few questions about the architecture and hosting requirements, and I’d appreciate some clarification:


Where is the app hosted?

Is the app hosted directly on Shopify's infrastructure, or do we need to host it ourselves?

How does app installation work across multiple stores?

What is the typical installation flow when a merchant installs the app from the Shopify App Store?

How do we manage app instances when multiple stores install the same app?

Is there a standard architectural flow or best practice for Shopify apps?

I’m looking for guidance on how to structure the backend, handle authentication, and manage store-specific data. Are there recommended patterns or diagrams available?

I’d appreciate any insight or best practices from experienced Shopify app developers.

[BiDeal-Discount]

Hi @greeshma 

Thank you for your question. I can answer as my experience :
1.Where is the app hosted?

 => You have to host yourself, shopify don't provide method to host it. You can use some built-in services as Fly.io or Vercel, Render. But you can build your infra as you want use AWS, ...

2. How does app installation work across multiple stores?

=>If you're using the Shopify Remix or Next.js templates, they come with built-in mechanisms for store connection and authentication.

3. Is there a standard architectural flow or best practice for Shopify apps?

=> You can follow shopify document to build Shopify app here: https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/build?framework=remix

[goldi07]

Hello @greeshma ,

So I have also developed a Shopify app with Wishlist feature.
https://apps.shopify.com/pwc-customer-pages-wishlist

So to answer your questions :
1: I have used remix template so I hosted the app in Render.com (Easy to use and Shopify Recommended)

2: So installation basically occurs from Shopify app store only , once your app is published . You first need to apply various steps to ensure that its published . 

3: Basically if you follow the shopify documentation for app development 
https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/scaffold-app

If you need more help let me know

Thanks .

If you like my response please support my work with couple of coffee and I would be really thankful

[greeshma]

Hi @goldi07 @BiDeal-Discount ,

I’ve developed a custom Shopify wishlist app using the Remix template provided by Shopify. I’ve successfully deployed it using Render as my hosting provider.
During development and deployment, I used the API key and secret from my Shopify Partner Dashboard (for the wishlist app). Now, I’m planning to publish this app on the Shopify App Store, and I have a few questions regarding the deployment and app architecture:


Do I need to change the API key and secret key when submitting to the App Store?

Currently, I'm using credentials from the partner app I created. Are these the same credentials I’ll use for the production version on the App Store, or will Shopify generate new ones when the app is approved?

How does my Remix app work when multiple stores install it?

If many merchants install the app from the App Store, how is this handled in terms of architecture?

Do I need to set up anything specific to manage authentication and data for each store?

Is Render a suitable hosting platform for a public Shopify app?

Are there any limitations I should be aware of when using Render?

What are the best practices for handling multi-store installs?

How do I store access tokens, manage sessions, and isolate store-specific data properly?

Any guidance on this process or a reference architecture would be really helpful. Thanks in advance!

[Rahul_dhiman]

Question :

Which technology are you using for building the app ? Remix , Next ??

Usually you need not to change anything .

It automatically covers multi store install so you need not to worry about that .

Render is Best for easy deployment of the app .

[greeshma]

Hi @Rahul_dhiman 

I've built a wishlist app using Remix. Before submitting it to the Shopify App Store, I want to ensure that it functions correctly across multiple Shopify stores. I'm currently using Render for deployment. When I install the app, it appears to install separately on each store I own. Is this expected behavior, and how can I properly test multi-store support?