Host Your Shopify App on Heroku – Step-by-Step Guide

Over 80% of Shopify apps use cloud platforms like Heroku for fast deployment, scalability and performance optimization in custom Shopify app development workflows.

Key Points

87% of developers prefer cloud platforms for Shopify app deployment due to quick setup and scaling.
Heroku supports over 6 million apps, including thousands of Shopify apps built with Node.js.
Apps using cloud hosting show 30% higher retention due to improved speed and user experience.

Introduction

Hosting a Shopify app on Heroku is a powerful and scalable option for developers involved in shopify app development. Whether you're building a public app, a private solution for clients, or delivering custom shopify app development as a service, Heroku offers a quick and efficient way to bring your app to life. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to host a Shopify app (Node.js or Remix) on Heroku, a perfect platform for testing, deploying or scaling on-demand app development projects.

Prerequisites

Before diving in, ensure the following are ready:

These are crucial to ensure your custom shopify app development process goes smoothly and you can deploy with minimal friction.

A Shopify Partner account – Used for managing apps during app development.
A development store – To test your app in a live Shopify environment.
A Shopify app already created – Registered in the Shopify Partner dashboard.
A functioning app built locally – Using Node.js, Express, or Remix.
A Heroku account – Where your app will be hosted.
Heroku CLI installed – Required to manage and deploy apps via the command line.

Step 1: Prepare Your Shopify App

Before hosting your app, make sure it’s well-prepared for production. This is especially important when offering shopify app development services or working with clients on custom projects.

Install packages and run locally:

                                        npm install
npm run dev

Use environment variables for secure configuration:

                                        SHOPIFY_API_KEY=your_api_key
SHOPIFY_API_SECRET=your_api_secret
SCOPES=read_products,write_products
HOST=https://your-app-name.herokuapp.com
DATABASE_URL=postgres_connection_url # optional

This structure supports secure development and future scalability in your shopify app development pipeline.

Step 2: Create a Heroku App

Creating your Heroku app provides a cloud platform to host your custom Shopify app. This is an essential part of on-demand app development workflows where time-to-deploy matters.

                                        heroku login
heroku create your-app-name

Heroku assigns a default domain like:

                                        https://your-app-name.herokuapp.com

This domain is your live endpoint for Shopify's API.

Step 3: Set Environment Variables on Heroku

Set up your config variables securely to replicate the local environment in your hosted version. For any shopify app development project, consistent environments are key.

                                        heroku config:set SHOPIFY_API_KEY=your_api_key
heroku config:set SHOPIFY_API_SECRET=your_api_secret
heroku config:set SCOPES=read_products,write_products
heroku config:set HOST=https://your-app-name.herokuapp.com

Optional: If your app uses Postgres:

                                        heroku addons:create heroku-postgresql:hobby-dev

This helps store app data efficiently, a common need in full-scale shopify app development services.

Step 4: Add a Procfile

Heroku requires a Procfile to know how to start your application. This step is simple but essential in professional custom shopify app development.

In your root directory, create a file named Procfile:

For npm:

                                        web: npm run start

For Remix with Express:

                                        web: node server.js

Step 5: Commit Changes and Push to Heroku

This step deploys your code to Heroku, transitioning your Shopify app from local development to a live, testable URL. It's one of the most critical phases in shopify app development.

                                        git add .
git commit -m "Prepare for Heroku deployment"
git push heroku main

For a different branch:

                                        git push heroku your-branch:main

Heroku will install dependencies, build your app, and run it using the Procfile configuration.

Step 6: Update App Settings in Shopify

To finalize the integration, update your app’s live URL in the Shopify Partner dashboard. This is key for OAuth authentication and is a step that professionals never skip in custom shopify app development.

Go to: Shopify Partner Dashboard > Apps > Your App
Set these values:

                                        App URL: https://your-app-name.herokuapp.com
Redirect URL: https://your-app-name.herokuapp.com/auth/callback

Save changes to apply the new hosted settings.

Step 7: Install the App on Your Development Store

Now install your Heroku-hosted app in your development store, the perfect chance to test how your on-demand app development performs in a live Shopify environment.

URL format:

                                        https://{your-shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/authorize?client_id=YOUR_API_KEY&scope=YOUR_SCOPES&redirect_uri=YOUR_REDIRECT_URI

Replace the placeholders with your real values. This is the step where you validate the end-to-end flow of your shopify app development process.

Debugging Tips

When offering shopify app development services, debugging is critical for quality assurance. Here are commands to help:

To view live logs:

                                        heroku logs --tail

To check environment variables:

                                        heroku config

To restart the app:

                                        heroku restart

Optional: Add SSL and Custom Domain

Give your app a custom domain and SSL for enhanced professionalism. This is often requested in high-end custom shopify app development.

                                        heroku domains:add yourdomain.com

Then configure your DNS to point to Heroku’s target.

Final Words

Deploying a Shopify app on Heroku is one of the most effective ways to scale your shopify app development efforts. Whether you're an individual developer or an agency offering custom shopify app development services, Heroku enables you to launch, test, and iterate your apps rapidly. Its user-friendly CLI, seamless Git integration, and robust cloud capabilities make it an excellent fit for on-demand app development environments.