Shopify provides 4000+ plugins in its app store for Shopify users, from which over 1500 plugins are completely free. These plugins or app functions can extend your Ecommerce store’s functionality and improve your buyers’ shopping experience. From adding buyer reviews & publishing products on Facebook to improving email marketing, there is a feature available for every Shopify app development need.
However, Developing your Own Shopify App can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you have just discovered the Shopify app development ecosystem. Also, your Shopify app needs to integrate with your online E-commerce store. To develop a Shopify app that goes hand in hand with your Shopify store, we have provided you with a complete guide.
This guide will help you to build, launch and maintain your Shopify app in the e-commerce marketplace or Shopify store.
A Guide to Shopify App Development Process
Here is the step-by-step guide to building your Shopify app in the e-commerce marketplace.
Phase 1: Create a Product Development Mindset
Creating a Shopify app requires an appropriate and solid idea of products. It all starts with knowing your target audience and understanding their requirements.
Also, developing a relevant product strategy will assist in keeping your business objective at the top. So, follow these factors and develop effective strategies for your product.
- Conduct user research to understand their behavioural factors and requirements.
- Do thorough market research to understand the real demand or interest of the audience.
- Must have a clear business objective for recognizing the explicit success criteria.
Besides, hiring Shopify app development services can better assist you with effective product strategies. So, considering the Shopify specialists can also be helpful to develop your Shopify app that can provide you with increased retention rates.
Phase 2: Have Good Planning Structure for the Design Process
Good planning in the design process will support shaping your approach in the right direction. This means, while designing a Shopify app, it’s necessary to add every required feature to the app. However, a clear understanding between the things you actually require VS the things you want to add is also essential. It will help you to establish a user-friendly design structure.
Here are some factors you need to take into account for getting an effective theme development Shopify design process.
- A clear vision regarding the specifications you want to design and build.
- Create a determined and precise design roadmap.
- Divide the design and development work into small cycles.
- Ensure every cycle has planning, design, development, validation, and retrospective phases.
Phase 3: Include Ideation Phase to Prepare Project Goals
The ideation phase is necessary for developing creative ideas to achieve your eCommerce project goals. Executing various processes will help in determining how the content and features must be added to the app.
Through such approachable methods, it becomes easy to visualize the user flow towards the app. Here, the custom Shopify app development approach can help you to develop a user-friendly app by adding desired features and increasing its functionalities.
While developing the Shopify app, ensure the app contains all the necessary features that make navigation easier and more comfortable. But, avoid including unnecessary content and features in the app.
Phase 4: Focus on Designing Phase
The success of any app depends on the proper development and design criteria. This phase elaborates on how the interactive design works for end users instead of whether it’s appealing or not. After all, the main objective is to enhance the user experience.
Therefore, reflect the following elements in the development and designing phase. Also, following these factors will help you to achieve advanced Shopify theme development goals. So, make sure to consider these points while designing your Shopify app.
- Visualize the basic structure of pages through sketching and wireframing.
- The visual language including typography, colors, shapes, textures and animation effects of an app must be in the right order.
- Add prototyping for simulating user interactions with a product.
Phase 5: App Development Phase
In this phase, the developers need to create a technical architecture. Shopify platform is language friendly, which allows any language to use while developing a Shopify app. Moreover, the development phase is equipped with back-end and front-end development.
Back-end development is about server-side processes that hold the functions of a product. It includes the development of database structure, business logic for managing data, and API. On the other hand, front-end development is a section through which users can interact easily.
As there is lots of technical stuff to deal with, it can be challenging, especially for the newbies in the Shopify marketplace. Here, you can engage with a reputable Shopify theme development agency that can handle the technical part of the user-friendly Shopify app.
Phase 6: Run a Test
The testing phase is necessary to determine whether your designed app is working properly or not. It includes the functionality, reliability, usability and other features of your Shopify app. You have to focus on both functional and non-functional testing areas.
Functional testing means testing the features and capabilities of your app, which is usually operated by QA specialists. Continuous integration is necessary for functional testing to make the app more effective. On the contrary, non-functional testing is all about determining the performance and usability of a Shopify app.
Phase 7: Collect Feedback
Once you’re done with launching activities, it’s necessary to collect opinions from the user. This is the most prominent phase where you can make amendments to the app according to the user’s convenience. So, invest time and effort in providing a better user experience. However, don’t forget to keep an eye on analytics to gauge the success of an app.
Let’s Summarize!
Shopify offers various plugins to extend the functionality of your Shopify store. However, a strategic approach is essential for Shopify App Development. Simply following the above-mentioned guidelines can help you to create a well-customized and functional Shopify app with the best customer experience. Plus, you can opt for the Shopify App Development Services and let the experts add the desired features to your Shopify app.
