Is it possible to use dynamic content in App Theme Extension?

Retired Boards Appdev Partners Discussion
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Topic summary

A developer is seeking guidance on passing Shopify’s app review while using an App Theme Extension that dynamically injects content from an external service.

The current workflow involves:

  • Installing the app and activating the theme extension (which only adds a JS file)
  • Customizing and activating widgets through the developer’s external website
  • Widgets appearing automatically on the store

The core issue: Shopify’s UX guidelines require merchants to preview changes before publishing them in the theme editor, but this isn’t technically feasible when content is dynamically added from an external source.

Suggested solutions:

  • One commenter recommends submitting comprehensive test cases with step-by-step instructions and test credentials, noting that the review team will request clarifications if needed
  • Another suggests implementing a preview or sandbox mode on the external service website, allowing merchants to customize widgets before they go live on the storefront

The discussion remains open regarding whether this approach can satisfy Shopify’s review requirements or if alternative implementation methods exist.

Summarized with AI on October 25. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hey!

I’m passing a Shopify review with my app and have a question about App Theme Extension.

For context. I have an App Theme Extension, which adds dynamic content to a store. For example:

  1. A user installs our app on his store
  2. The user activates the app theme extension in the admin (it adds our js file only, no HTML or any content)
  3. The user goes to our service website and can customize and activate a modal in the store
  4. The widget automatically appears on the store

But “UX guidelines for theme app extensions” says:

Let merchants do the following from the theme editor’s Apps section:> - Preview edits before saving and publishing changes

As I understood, we have to be able to review the changes before adding these to the store. But we can’t technically do this because we dynamically add content to a store from our side…

Is there a way to solve my case using App Theme Extension, or maybe Shopify has other ways (not Extension) to solve this, or perhaps I can pass the review in this case?

Thank you!

2

@Mironovdv Yes our app can pass for the review. you need to submit all the feasible cases. also you need to provide test credential. write the complete test case instruction steps by steps.

if all are working fine then shopify app review team will be passed. if any concern they will ask for detail rectification.

1 Like
4

If the app is blocked due to this you need to set it up so the merchant effectively confirms the design in the theme editor.
See apps like the shopify-forms app where the user has to input an “ID” from the app to connect the app block to specific form/design.
Or this could be with a setting toggle, such as using the restricted theme-assets api to toggle settings in config files to off, then in the apps design dashboard giving the merchant a deep link to enable it. etc