[422] API request client error with Shopify CLI

Retired Boards Appdev Tools

Topic summary

Issue: After logging in with “shopify theme dev --store {store}”, users on Shopify CLI 3.44.1 repeatedly receive “[422] API request client error,” despite seeing “:check_mark: Logged in.” Logging out via “shopify auth logout” does not resolve it, and “shopify theme info” still shows they’re logged in and can push themes.

Context: Reported on macOS (darwin-arm64) with zsh, Node v19.7.0, Ruby 3.2.1. A screenshot indicates “Development Theme ID Not set,” suggesting no development theme is selected.

Resolution (confirmed by multiple users):

  • Ensure a development theme exists and pass its ID explicitly: “shopify theme dev --store {store} --theme {theme-id}”.
  • If you don’t have the ID, create/upload a theme first (e.g., “shopify theme push”) to obtain the theme ID, or upload via the Shopify admin, then rerun the dev command with --theme.
  • One user referenced an external post with additional details.

Outcome: Setting/using a valid Development Theme ID resolves the 422 error for affected users. No official root cause or Shopify-side fix noted; the thread appears resolved by the workaround.

Summarized with AI on January 30. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi,

I’ve installed the Shopify CLI, used this command to log in:

shopify theme dev --store {store}

I log in via the browser and I get an answer saying:

✔ Logged in

But then immediately after I get:

[422] API request client error

That error keeps coming up if I run “shopify theme dev”. I’ve tried logging out and in again with “shopify auth logout”, no dice.

If I run:

shopify theme info

It says I’m logged in, and I can push the theme to the store.

Shopify CLI version: 3.44.1

Anyone know why this is happening and how I can solve it?

2

@Soundsprinkler do you still facing the issue?
which version of Shopify CLI client are you using?

1 Like
3

I have the same error here

Shopify CLI 3.44.1

OS darwin-arm64

Shell /bin/zsh

Node version v19.7.0

Ruby version 3.2.1

Trying to setup a new development store but everytime i tried ‘shopify theme dev’ command, i have the 422 API Error Message

1 Like
4

I’ve managed to solve it this morning.

All details here : https://community.shopify.com/post/1976188

1 Like
5

Hi, any luck on this? My friend got exactly the same problem.

1 Like
6

Solved it by manually uploading the theme via the admin, logging out with the CLI and logging back in again but with the theme ID:

shopify theme dev --store {store} --theme {theme-id}
2 Likes
7

Thank you so much, we tried your solution and it finally worked!

Your solution made a lot of sense because when we run

shopify theme info

we get

Development Theme ID Not set

which means we should set theme ID with

shopify theme dev

224294944-37333721-6fbb-4d02-9756-0e1d029869ca.png
224294944-37333721-6fbb-4d02-9756-0e1d029869ca.png694×258 9.99 KB

1 Like
8

Brand new to shopify cli
Its crazy I was trying to do this, even thought it was staring right at face.

I didnt know how to set theme id.
Finally i did shopify theme push to get the theme id

And then I ran command by @Soundsprinkler
Works now.