An app-data metafield is a metafield that is tied to a particular app installation and can only be accessed by that app. App-data metafields can't be overwritten by other apps or by merchants, and can be accessed using GraphQL. You can access app-data metafields using the `metafields` property on the [`app` object in Liquid](/docs/api/liquid/objects/app). Using app-data metafields, you can provide different levels of features to users depending on their app payment plan by using app-data metafields and [conditional app blocks](/docs/apps/build/online-store/theme-app-extensions/configuration#conditional-app-blocks). You can also store a client ID or client secret in app-data metafields. This guide shows you how to create an app-data metafield using the GraphQL Admin API. ## Requirements - Your app can make [authenticated requests](/docs/api/admin-graphql#authentication) to the GraphQL Admin API. ## Step 1: Retrieve the app installation ID Use the [`currentAppInstallation`](/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/currentAppInstallation) query to retrieve the ID of the [`AppInstallation`](/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/AppInstallation) object associated with the app. You'll use this ID to create an app-data metafield in the next step. <p> <div class="react-stacked-code-block ThemeMode-dim" data-preset="stacked"> <script data-option="title" data-value="POST https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/api/{api_version}/graphql.json"></script> <p> <div class="react-code-block" data-preset="basic"> <div class="react-code-block-preload ThemeMode-dim"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-bar basic-codeblock"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-placeholder-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> </div> </div> <script data-option="title" data-value="GraphQL query"></script> <script type="text/plain" data-language="graphql"> query { currentAppInstallation { id } } </script> </div> </p> <p> <div class="react-code-block" data-preset="basic"> <div class="react-code-block-preload ThemeMode-dim"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-bar basic-codeblock"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-placeholder-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> </div> </div> <script data-option="title" data-value="Response"></script> <script type="text/plain" data-language="json"> { "data": { "currentAppInstallation": { "id": "gid://shopify/AppInstallation/123456" } } } </script> </div> </p> </div> </p> ## Step 2: Create an app-data metafield To create an app-data metafield, use the [`metafieldSet`](/docs/api/admin-graphql/current/mutations/metafieldsSet) mutation and set the `ownerID` to the app installation ID that you retrieved in the [previous step](#step-1-retrieve-the-app-installation-id): <p> <div class="react-stacked-code-block ThemeMode-dim" data-preset="stacked"> <script data-option="title" data-value="POST https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/api/{api_version}/graphql.json"></script> <p> <div class="react-code-block" data-preset="basic"> <div class="react-code-block-preload ThemeMode-dim"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-bar basic-codeblock"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-placeholder-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> </div> </div> <script data-option="title" data-value="GraphQL mutation"></script> <script type="text/plain" data-language="graphql"> mutation CreateAppDataMetafield($metafieldsSetInput: [MetafieldsSetInput!]!) { metafieldsSet(metafields: $metafieldsSetInput) { metafields { id namespace key } userErrors { field message } } } </script> </div> </p> <p> <div class="react-code-block" data-preset="basic"> <div class="react-code-block-preload ThemeMode-dim"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-bar basic-codeblock"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-placeholder-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-code-container"> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline-number"></div> <div class="react-code-block-preload-codeline"></div> </div> </div> </div> <script data-option="title" data-value="Variables"></script> <script type="text/plain" data-language="json"> { "metafieldsSetInput": [ { "namespace": "secret_keys", "key": "api_key", "type": "single_line_text_field", "value": "aS1hbS1hLXNlY3JldC1hcGkta2V5Cg==", "ownerId": "gid://shopify/AppInstallation/3" } ] } </script> </div> </p> </div> </p> After you've created an app-data metafield, you can access its value using the [`metafield` field on the `AppInstallation`](/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/AppInstallation) object. ## Next steps - Use an app-data metafield to implement a [conditional app block](/docs/apps/build/online-store/theme-app-extensions/configuration#conditional-app-blocks).