Liquid Weekly Podcast: Shopify Developers Talking Shopify Development

Karl Meisterheim
  • 5.0 (3)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Each episode hosts Karl and Taylor discuss the latest news and techniques for Shopify development. Hear about current projects, listen to interviews with developers and take your theme and app development skills to another level.

  1. 1D AGO

    We Surveyed Shopify Developers — The Results Surprised Us

    In this episode of the Liquid Weekly Podcast, hosts Karl Meisterheim and Taylor Page break down the results of the first-ever Liquid Weekly Shopify Developer Survey.They dive into who makes up the Shopify developer community—from freelancers and agency devs to app builders—and explore what developers are working on, what they want to learn, and what challenges they’re facing. The conversation covers the growing demand for AI workflows, ongoing struggles with Shopify’s rapid pace of change, and concerns around client acquisition in an evolving landscape. They also discuss the role of events like Shopify .dev, opportunities for community connection, and how Liquid Weekly can better serve its audience moving forward.Sponsor The Support Heroes - https://thesupportheroes.com/?utm_source=liquid_weekly&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorships Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:00 Survey Overview and Goals04:00 Who Responded: Freelancers, Agencies, and App Devs09:00 What Developers Are Working On (Themes vs Apps)12:00 Global Breakdown of the Shopify Dev Community17:00 Shopify .dev Attendance and Barriers (Cost, Travel, Visas)23:00 Community Events and Alternatives to .dev31:00 What Developers Want More Of (AI, Themes, Apps, Business)37:00 Staying Grounded Amid AI Hype40:30 Demand for Marketing and Client Acquisition Content42:45 What Developers Are Struggling With43:00 Keeping Up with Shopify’s Pace of Change48:00 AI Uncertainty and Productivity Pressure51:30 Client Acquisition and Pricing Challenges54:30 Dev Changelog1:01:30 Picks of the WeekResourcesState of JS Survey (Referenced concept): https://stateofjs.com/Shopify Developer Community Events (Various global meetups)Shopify Partner Dashboard (App submission updates discussed)Dev Changelog • New app submission experience in the Shopify Partner Dashboard (AI-assisted pre-checks and faster reviews) • Storefront Catalog MCP updated to support Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) • ⚠️ Action Required: Automatic CSS subsetting for stylesheet Liquid tag • ⚠️ Action Required: Deprecation of checkout metafields in favor of cart and order metafields • Expanded app uninstall reason options for better analytics • Analytics metrics now available via Admin GraphQL API • Multiple product discounts can now apply to a single cart line⸻Picks of the WeekKarl: Rebel Ice Cream – Keto-friendly, low sugar ice cream (surprisingly good, dangerously easy to overeat)Taylor: GitHub – Leveraging actions, PR templates, and workflows to improve dev productivity (despite recent hiccups)⸻Sign Up for Liquid WeeklyDon’t miss out on expert insights and tips—subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more content like this:👉 https://liquidweekly.com

    1h 10m

  2. APR 30

    065 - From Themes to SaaS: Anne Thomas on Cart to Cart, Design Packs, and Community

    In this episode of the Liquid Weekly Podcast, hosts Karl Meisterheim and Taylor Page are joined by Anne Thomas, co-founder of Design Packs. Anne shares her journey in the Shopify ecosystem, her recent foray into backend development with Supabase and Claude AI, and the launch of her new podcast, Cart to Cart. The conversation dives into the nuances of building with Shopify's flexible theme blocks, managing design systems, and the realities of using AI for coding and QA. Anne also discusses her community-building efforts with "Women Unified in Commerce". STAY CONNECTED Subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more expert insights: https://liquidweekly.com/ EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Anne's Background & Side Projects: From starting with Shopify themes in 2014 to building a horse-riding tracking app. Cart to Cart Podcast: Anne introduces her new podcast co-hosted with Trudy McNabb, Brenda Storer, and Diana Birsan. Women Unified in Commerce: Insights into the grassroots community meetups Anne and Trudy host in Toronto. Developer vs. Merchant Feedback: How the Design Packs team navigates and balances feedback. Theme Blocks & Design Systems: A deep dive into Shopify's flexible blocks, modern theme architecture, and CSS overrides. AI in the Dev Workflow: The realities of using AI tools like Claude and Cursor's Bugbot for writing code and PR reviews.FIND ANNE ONLINE & RESOURCES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annethomas8/ Twitter(X): https://x.com/alfalfaanne Design Packs: https://design-packs.com/ Cart to Cart Podcast: https://cart2cartpodcast.com Women Unified in Commerce: LinkedIn Group TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction & Anne's Background 03:30 - Building with Supabase & Claude AI 08:40 - The "Cart to Cart" Podcast 30:30 - "Women Unified in Commerce" Meetups 37:50 - Balancing Merchant and Developer Feedback 43:30 - Navigating Shopify's Flexible Theme Blocks 50:15 - Design Systems & CSS Overrides in Themes 58:15 - AI Realities: Coding, QA, and Automated PR Reviews 01:09:40 - Dev Changelog Highlights 01:14:10 - Picks of the Week DEV CHANGELOG ActionBar removed on mobile: TitleBar primary action now renders as an icon button - https://shopify.dev/changelog/primary-action-icon-replaces-actionbar-on-mobile New CSS variable for mobile safe area insets - https://shopify.dev/changelog/new-css-variable-for-mobile-safe-area-insets Automated testing for Shopify UI extensions with @shopify/ui-extensions-tester - https://shopify.dev/changelog/automated-testing-for-shopify-ui-extensions-with-shopify-ui-extensions-tester New discount fields in the Storefront API's cart types - https://shopify.dev/changelog/new-discount-fields-in-the-storefront-cart-graphql-api Shopify AI Toolkit: Connect your AI tools to the Shopify platform - https://shopify.dev/changelog/shopify-ai-toolkit-connect-your-ai-tools-to-the-shopify-platform Shopify Scripts will be deprecated on June 30, 2026 - https://shopify.dev/changelog/shopify-scripts-will-be-deprecated-on-june-30-2026 (non-dev) Checkout Blocks: Order value limits available on all plans - https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/checkout-blocks-order-value-limits-available-on-all-plansPICKS OF THE WEEK Karl: Simple Truth low-carb crisp crackers and reading the book Dune. Anne: Swapping the morning doomscroll for a daily crossword puzzle. Try https://www.dictionary.com/games/crossword to start. Taylor: Taking the kids to see The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

    1h 21m

  3. APR 16

    Episode 64 - When Shopify Functions Fail Silently: The 10KB Limit Nobody Told You About

    Karl and Taylor are back for a solo episode packed with updates. Taylor breaks down major changes to the Shopify Theme Editor, a big B2B announcement that flipped the script on Plus-only features, and a raft of Dev Changelog items. Karl shares a real-world debugging war story about a Shopify Function that was silently discarding all its input — and the 10KB metafield limit that caused it. SponsorThe Support Heroes - https://thesupportheroes.com/?utm_source=lwSubscribe to Liquid WeeklyDon't miss out on expert insights and tips—subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more content like this: https://liquidweekly.com/Timestamps- 00:00 – Intro & Slim Jim nostalgia- 01:00 – Season 3 check-in- 02:20 – Shopify Theme Editor overhaul walkthrough- 08:00 – Markets in the Theme Editor: a common merchant gotcha- 09:30 – Session restore, Rollouts scheduling in the editor- 12:00 – Shopify SimGem (AI shopper simulation) overview- 15:00 – Karl's PromoParty Pro debugging war story- 19:00 – Shopify Functions: silent failures & the 10KB metafield limit- 22:00 – Dev Dashboard function logs deep dive- 26:00 – Discount function limits (25 per shop) & Functions vs. Shopify Scripts- 31:00 – Checkout extensibility, web components, and useful constraints- 33:00 – Shopify Dev Dashboard updates: Plus shops, role-based access- 36:00 – Headless Shopify app, Storefront API tokens & cart metafields- 37:00 – AuthCrate.shop by Dylan- 39:00 – Cart metafields copying to order metafields- 41:00 – Shopify Partner Town Hall recap- 43:50 – **The Big One: B2B features now available on non-Plus plans**- 50:00 – Taylor's table and chair rental business & Roth IRAs for kids- 56:00 – Dev Changelog rundown- 57:00 – Picks of the WeekResources- [PromoParty Pro](https://apps.shopify.com/promo-party-pro) – Karl's free gift with purchase app (co-built with Curt and Paul)- [AuthCrate.shop](https://authcrate.shop) – Dylan's tool for managing custom Shopify app authentication- [Shopify Headless App](https://apps.shopify.com/headless) – For generating Storefront API tokens without a custom app- [Shopify Dev Dashboard](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/tools/partner-dashboard/dev-dashboard) – The developer-focused dashboard within the Shopify Partner portal- [Shopify Partner Town Hall Summary (SDA)](https://shopifydevalliance.com) – Taylor's recap in the SDA communityPicks of the WeekKarl: Quest Bake Soft Protein Frosted Cookies – Low-carb, keto-friendly cookies that actually taste good. 1g net carb https://www.questnutrition.com/collections/cookiesTaylor: Granola AI – AI-powered meeting notes that listens locally without needing a bot invite. Works across Zoom, Slack, Teams, and Google Meet. Great for end-of-day debriefs when you're too tired to write things down yourself. https://www.granola.so/

    1h 6m

  4. APR 2

    Episode 63 - Jordan Finneran with Pimsical

    In this episode, Jordan Finneran, founder of Pimsical and Shopify Build Award winner, shares his journey into Shopify app development and his deep expertise in Shopify POS and inventory management. Discover the challenges of retail operations, the impact of Stocky's upcoming deprecation, and how developers can leverage Cloudflare and Shopify Flow to build powerful, scalable apps for merchants. Keep up with the latest in Shopify Development NewsSubscribe to the Liquid Weekly Newsletter - https://liquidweekly.com/ Timestamps00:00 The "Pause" vs. "POS" Debate01:00 Welcome & Introduction of Award-Winning Guest02:37 Pimsical: The Origin of the Name04:25 Jordan's Origin Story: Bitten by the Shopify Bug07:23 The Evolution of the Shopify Platform09:30 Strategies for Keeping Up with API Changes11:41 The Apps: Warehouse Integration and StockTake15:10 Why Stocky is Going Away & Its Impact on Retail19:50 Realities of Retail Inventory Management22:25 Organizing Local POS Meetups for Merchants28:20 Automating Tasks with Shopify Flow35:20 Why AI and Inventory Data Don't Mix (Yet)38:35 Building Apps on Cloudflare Workers and D147:20 The Deprecation of Stocky & Planning for August54:05 Shopify Dev Changelog01:01:40 Picks of the Week & Closing Thoughts Dev Changelog Shop Minis February 2026 update - LinkFlow getting article and market data - LinkRun POS apps offline! - LinkRemoved Checkout ID from checkout and order webhooks - Link[action required] inventorySetScheduledChanges mutation is being removed with no replacement - Link[action required] Clearer standards for app listing images - Link[action required] ShopifyQL returns fields deprecated and replaced with sales reversals fields - LinkCheckout and Customer Account UI extensions available by default in new development shops - LinkPicks of the Week Taylor - The Starship and the Stone book series - LinkKarl - Lego excavator 60420 - LinkJordan - Altera, Shopify app alternative to Matrixify and supporting more data types - LinkResources Shopify Developer Documentation - https://shopify.dev/Shopify POS Development Resources - https://shopify.dev/docs/posCloudflare Workers - https://workers.cloudflare.com/Find Jordan Online Website - https://www.pimsical.app/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanfinneran/Twitter(X) - https://x.com/JordanFinnersKey Topics Evolution of the Shopify platform and GraphQLNavigating the complexities of retail inventory and POSThe upcoming deprecation of the Stocky appLeveraging Cloudflare Workers and D1 for app hostingBuilding deep integrations using Shopify Flow

    1h 8m

  5. MAR 19

    Episode 62 - Sammy Isseyegh of DiscountKit

    In this episode, Sammy Isaiah, co-founder of Discount Kit, shares insights into Shopify app development, the evolution of Shopify POS, and the innovative Discount Kit Live platform. Discover how these tools are transforming e-commerce experiences for developers and merchants alike. Keep up with the latest in Shopify Development News Subscribe to the Liquid Weekly Newsletter -https://liquidweekly.com/ Support Heroes For more information about the sponsor of this episode, Support Heroes, check out: http://thesupportheroes.com Timestamps 00:00 Discount Kit Live: Enhancing User Experience 06:29 The Role of Agencies and Developers in Shopify 09:37 Technical Insights on Discount Management 12:15 Future Prospects and Community Engagement 15:25 Building the Foundation for User Experience 18:36 Innovations in Cart Functionality 21:52 Data Management Challenges 22:58 Exploring Shopify Functions 27:52 Transitioning to Point of Sale (POS) Development 45:15 The Birth of Pause Cues 47:33 Exploring the Functionality of Pause Cues 50:26 The Impact of POS on Merchants 52:25 The Developer Experience with Shopify POS 56:24 Updates and Changes in Discount Kit 59:25 Changelog Highlights and Community Feedback 01:04:17 Picks of the Week and Closing Thoughts Find Sammy Online Twitter - https://x.com/sammyIsseyegh LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/sammyIsseyegh Shopify App Store - https://apps.shopify.com/discount-kit Dev Changelog - Legacy customer accounts are now deprecated - https://shopify.dev/changelog/legacy-customer-accounts-are-deprecated - New APIs to read and write shipping options in delivery profile - https://shopify.dev/changelog/new-apis-to-read-and-write-shipping-options-in-delivery-profile - Manage dev previews on your dev store without leaving admin - https://shopify.dev/changelog/manage-dev-previews-on-your-dev-store-without-leaving-admin - JSON metafield values limited to 128KB - https://shopify.dev/changelog/reduced-metafield-value-sizes - Shopify Dev Forums discussion: https://community.shopify.dev/t/metafield-values-limited-to-16kb/29775/39 - Bare query strings no longer bust the cache for assets - https://shopify.dev/changelog/bare-query-strings-no-longer-bust-the-cache-for-assets - Enhanced discounts support in the Shopify Functions Cart - https://shopify.dev/changelog/enhanced-discounts-support-in-the-shopify-functions-cart - New analyticsQueryable capability for Metafield Definitions - https://shopify.dev/changelog/new-analyticsqueryable-capability-for-metafield-definitions Picks of the Week Taylor - Resend https://resend.com/ Karl - Ghostty - https://ghostty.org/ Sammy - Greptile - https://www.greptile.com/ Resources Shopify Developer Documentation -https://shopify.dev/ Discount Kit App - https://apps.shopify.com/discount-kit Shopify POS Development Resources - https://shopify.dev/docs/pos Shopify Functions GitHub Repository - https://github.com/Shopify/shopify-function-template Shopify WebAssembly API - https://shopify.dev/api/wasm Reptile AI Code Review Tool - https://reptile.ai/ Ghosty Terminal Emulator - https://ghosty.app/ Key Topics Shopify app development evolution Introduction of Discount Kit Live platform Shopify POS advancements and developer tools Impact of Shopify updates on merchants and developersStrategies for building scalable Shopify apps SEO KeywordsShopify, Shopify POS, Discount Kit, Shopify apps, e-commerce, app development, Shopify functions, POS development, discount management, Shopify updates

    1h 12m

  6. MAR 5

    Episode 61 - Scott Austin of Jade Puma

    In this episode, Karl and Taylor sit down with Scott Austin, owner of the San Diego-based Shopify agency Jade Puma. Scott shares his journey from previous career at Microsoft to building an agency that thrives on efficiency, radical honesty, and zero red tape. We dig into Scott's unique agency model. He strictly bills hourly in arrears, refuses to do fixed-bid contracts or scopes of work, and only works directly with decision-makers. Scott also breaks down his content marketing strategy via his own show, the Shopify Solutions Podcast, and explains how he standardizes client builds using custom apps and themes. Episode Highlights The "Leaf in a Stream" Philosophy: Scott discusses his self-awareness as a business owner and why avoiding bureaucracy makes him highly effective. Hourly Billing & No Contracts: Scott completely abandoned fixed-price projects and scopes of work to eliminate scope creep. He notes that this decision doubled his revenue. Standardizing Processes: Standardizing on specific themes and building custom internal apps saves hours of development time per store. The Truth About AI: Scott views artificial intelligence as a powerful daily tool. However, he emphasizes that it currently possesses "zero intelligence" and is not a threat to his job.Find Scott Online Email: scott@jadepuma.com Website: https://jadepuma.com Podcast: https://www.shopifysolutionspodcast.comTimestamps 00:00 - Introduction 03:50 - Scott's Origin Story: From Microsoft to Shopify 11:50 - Defining Freelance vs. Agency 16:50 - Why Small Agencies and Direct Decision-Makers Win 22:00 - Content Marketing & The Shopify Solutions Podcast 30:00 - Scott's Perspective on AI and the Future of Tech 35:35 - Agency Best Practices & Tool Standardization 42:40 - Pricing Strategy: Hourly Billing in Arrears 50:15 - Dev Changelog Highlights 54:15 - Picks of the Week Dev Changelog [action required] Reduced metafield value sizes - https://shopify.dev/changelog/reduced-metafield-value-sizes Use the Admin API and bulk operations in Shopify CLI - https://shopify.dev/changelog/use-the-admin-api-and-bulk-operations-in-shopify-cli Improved app logs and monitoring - https://shopify.dev/changelog/improved-app-logs-and-monitoring Shopify-account web component for storefronts - https://shopify.dev/changelog/shopify-account-web-component-for-storefronts Webhook subscriptions now support a name field for identification - https://shopify.dev/changelog/webhook-subscriptions-now-support-a-name-field-for-identificationPicks of the Week Karl: The sci-fi movie "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341338/ Scott: Metaobject Pages, a feature from 2023 that simplifies dynamic page building and content sorting - https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metaobjects/connecting-to-your-online-store/webpages Taylor: Cloudflare Workers, which are proving highly effective for small projects and AI integrations - https://workers.cloudflare.com/Stay Connected Subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more expert insights: https://liquidweekly.com/

    1h 1m

  7. FEB 19

    Episode 60 - Brendan Quigley of Three Acres

    In this episode of the Liquid Weekly Podcast, Karl Meisterheim and Taylor Page talk with Shopify partner Brendan Quigley (founder of Three Acres) about building a sustainable solo business. Brendan shares his path into Shopify development, lessons from freelancing, and practical financial strategies—including YNAB and Profit First—to create more control and stability. They also discuss moving from one-off projects to retainer/membership models for predictable income, strengthening long-term client relationships, setting clear expectations, scaling thoughtfully, and managing time well. The episode wraps with Brendan’s perspective on selling expertise, improving productivity, and protecting work-life balance. *Support Heroes*For more information about the sponsor of this episode, Support Heroes, check out: http://thesupportheroes.com/?utm_source=liquid_weekly&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorships Timestamps 00:00 Exploring Money and Business 02:21 Brendan's Journey into Shopify Development 04:37 The Journey of Freelancing 06:40 Building a Business in E-commerce 09:09 The Power of Automation and Scripting 15:23 Understanding Finances as a Solopreneur 27:12 Implementing Profit First for Business Success 29:44 Membership Models and Client Relationships 36:05 Understanding Project Tiers and Workflows 38:47 The Importance of Time Management in Client Projects 39:48 Building Relationships with Clients 43:35 Scaling Your Business Effectively 47:22 Utilization Rates and Work-Life Balance 52:51 Transitioning to the Changelog and New Developments 01:07:06 LW podcast intro video.mp4 Dev Changelog All changelog updates are posts on the forum - https://community.shopify.dev/c/changelog/28  Shop Minis January 2026 update - https://shopify.dev/changelog/shop-minis-january-2026-update  Automatically copy cart metafields to orders at checkout completion - https://shopify.dev/changelog/automatically-copy-cart-metafields-to-orders-at-checkout-completion  New: Persist cart metafields to orders with `cartToOrderCopyable` - https://community.shopify.dev/t/new-persist-cart-metafields-to-orders-with-carttoordercopyable/29264  Increasing the app block limit to 30 for theme app extensions - https://shopify.dev/changelog/increasing-the-app-block-limit-to-30-for-theme-app-extensions  Picks of the Week Karl - Quest Protein Chips Taylor - Waste King L-8000 1HP Garbage disposal affiliate link https://amzn.to/45OnoIK Brendan - YNAB - https://www.ynab.com and Raspberry Pi + Pihole - http://pishop.us/ or https://pishop.ca/ AND https://pi-hole.net/ SEO Keywords Liquid Weekly Podcast, Shopify, Brendan Quigley, finances, budgeting, solopreneur, Profit First, YNAB, development, entrepreneurship, business model, membership, client relationships, pricing, freelancing, productivity, time management, scaling, services, deliverables Subscribe to Liquid Weekly Don't miss out on expert insights and tips—subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more content like this: https://liquidweekly.com/

    1h 7m

  8. FEB 5

    Episode 59 - NYC Editions Meetup Recap

    In this episode of the Liquid Weekly Podcast, hosts Karl Meisterheim and Taylor Page recap Taylor's trip to New York City for the exclusive Shopify Winter Editions meetup. They break down the "Agentic Commerce" hype, the realities of the new Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), and why the best way to optimize for AI is actually just using Standard Category Metafields. The episode features on-the-ground interviews with key Shopify staff members, including Liam Griffin, Darius (Senior Product Lead, Dev Platform), and Eitan (Shopify Flow team), offering deep dives into the new developer tools, Shop Minis, and the future of Shopify Flow. Interviews & Highlights Liam Griffin: Discusses the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for developers, using AI for mundane tasks like REST-to-GraphQL migration, and the "Pokemon generation" explosion of Shop Minis (including a virtual sommelier!). Darius: Breaks down the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), how the Catalog API works with agents, and why "Agentic Engine Optimization" isn't about hacks—it's about clean data and taxonomy. Eitan: Covers the "Flow 3.0" feel with new Sidekick-generated workflows, the highly anticipated testing layer, and moving toward declarative UIs.Timestamps 00:00 Introduction, Stickers, and Winter Storm Stories06:40 Taylor’s NYC Editions Trip Recap20:45 Key Takeaways: Agentic Commerce & UCP Realities31:00 Live Demo: Shopify Flow Sidekick Generation & Testing Layer38:30 Developer Tip: Running Queries from Dev Docs in GraphiQL43:00 Interview: Liam Griffin (Dev MCP, Shop Minis, Dev Forums)55:20 Interview: Darius (Universal Commerce Protocol, Metaobject Limits, Catalog API)01:07:50 Interview: Eitan (Shopify Flow Updates)01:20:30 Dev Changelog Highlights01:25:00 Picks of the Week Dev Changelog New article list input settings for themes: Link Migrate metafields with Shopify App Import custom data definitions: Link [Action Required] Shop Minis development now requires partner account permissions: Link [Action Required] Standardization of asset_url version params: Link Shopify App extensions now support Admin and Theme App Extensions: Link [Action Required] Ensuring POS UI extension stability by hardening callback handling: LinkPicks of the Week Karl: MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge – An interactive live-action game that turns the water park lodge into a questing adventure. Taylor: DJI Mic 3 – Wireless microphones that offer professional audio quality and ease of use for field recordings and interviews.Sign Up for Liquid WeeklyDon't miss out on expert insights and tips—subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more content like this: https://liquidweekly.com/

    1h 37m
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Each episode hosts Karl and Taylor discuss the latest news and techniques for Shopify development. Hear about current projects, listen to interviews with developers and take your theme and app development skills to another level.

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