Shopify Glossary Terms

The Shopify Admin API is the primary API for managing a Shopify store's backend operations. Unlike the Storefront API (which powers customer-facing experiences), the Admin API handles products, orders, customers, inventory, fulfilment, discounts, and store configuration.

It's available in both REST and GraphQL formats, though Shopify is pushing developers toward GraphQL for its efficiency - you can fetch exactly the data you need in a single request instead of making multiple REST calls.

For Shopify Plus merchants, the Admin API is what powers your integrations. ERP connections (Cin7, NetSuite), email platforms (Klaviyo), 3PL systems, and any custom middleware all communicate with Shopify through the Admin API. Plus merchants get higher rate limits (40 requests/second vs 2 for standard plans), which matters for stores with complex integration architectures or high-volume operations.

Think: the control panel your integrations use to talk to Shopify.