Integrating GraphQL for Dynamic Inventory-Based Product Filtering?

[Ryan_Coremeta]

I'm aiming to create a dynamic product filtering system on my store that prioritizes products based on real-time inventory levels across multiple warehouses. I'm considering using GraphQL to fetch this real-time data.

1. Has anyone integrated GraphQL within Shopify to achieve such dynamic filtering?
2. Are there performance or caching concerns I should be aware of when fetching real-time inventory data?

[PaulNewton · Accepted solution]

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@Ryan_Coremeta wrote:

Are there performance or caching concerns I should be aware of when fetching real-time inventory data?

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Rate limits during flash sales or high order bursts, you'll want to calculate if the store has a chance of redlining and choking on api limits. Doubly so if your polling for inventory changes instead of webhooks and then also mutating inventory or metafields for the filtering.

If limits can be hit figure and not on shopify Plus calculate the cost of just using Plus for higher rate limits, or also build remediation to wait for the rate limit quota to refill.

Or a custom velocity algorithm to hit the api at little as possible with accumulated values;  e.g. 100stock to 0stock in 60 seconds should not be 100 separate requests in increments of 1, instead make it 5 requests 90, 50, 25, 5, 0 and account for overshooting early to reset inventory to be back in stock see the new inventory states https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/mark-inventory-as-unavailable .

Cache is always a problem and should be assumed to exist, especially for the frontend and be treated as hard to solve highly iterable problem requiring a lot of effort;  80/20 rule.

[Ryan_Coremeta]

Thanks for the insights on rate limits and the potential of redlining. I'll consider Shopify Plus for higher limits. Your suggestion of a custom velocity algorithm to reduce API calls is noted, and I appreciate the link to the new inventory states. I'm also aware of the caching challenges and will approach it iteratively.