How to deploy a locally built app to a server before listing?

[TuanDat]

Hi everyone, I have a question about shopify app. Now im trying to build an app in my local ngrok. In the future, when my app will be done, i need to send it to shopify for listing, but the url of app is still my ngrok tunnel, so I have to have a server like Heroku to deploy my app before listing right? or i can deploy to shopify server. Please help me with this. Thank you so much!

[simon-skrod · Accepted solution]

Hi @TuanDat ,
i would suggest you to create 3 instances for your app on shopify partners platform. Dev, Stage and Production, like "Some App - Dev", "Some App - Stage" and "Some App".
In that case you will be able to properly work on your app.
As for hosting, dev and stage environments can be confirued to use proxy (like ngrok) but for production it has to be hosted on the server (like heroku, GCP, Amazon, etc..) Because production environment needs to be stable, you never know when shopify will review your app (it may be at night time at your timezone) or when someone will try to install your app it needs to be accessible all the time. Also should list your prod instance on shopify store (not dev or stage).

[TuanDat]

Thank you for your information.