---
title: >-
  Dynamic complexity cost for productCreate and productUpdate mutations -
  Shopify developer changelog
description: >-
  Shopify’s developer changelog documents all changes to Shopify’s platform.
  Find the latest news and learn about new platform opportunities.
source_url:
  html: >-
    https://shopify.dev/changelog/posts/dynamic-complexity-cost-for-productcreate-and-productupdate-mutations
  md: >-
    https://shopify.dev/changelog/posts/dynamic-complexity-cost-for-productcreate-and-productupdate-mutations.md
metadata:
  effectiveApiVersion: 2025-10
  affectedApi:
    - displayName: GraphQL Admin API
      handle: admin-graphql
  primaryTag:
    displayName: API
    handle: api
  secondaryTag:
    displayName: New
    handle: new
  indicatesActionRequired: false
  createdAt: '2025-09-16T13:15:56-04:00'
  postedAt: '2025-10-01T00:00:00-04:00'
  updatedAt: '2025-09-29T20:15:53-04:00'
  effectiveAt: '2025-09-17T12:00:00-04:00'
---

October 1, 2025

# Dynamic complexity cost for `productCreate` and `productUpdate` mutations

DateOctober 1, 2025

Version[2025-10](https://shopify.dev/changelog?api_version=2025-10)

FlagsNew

SurfacesAPI

Affected APIs[GraphQL Admin API](https://shopify.dev/changelog?api_type=admin-graphql)

The [`productCreate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productcreate) and [`productUpdate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productUpdate) mutations now use dynamic complexity costing to more accurately reflect the actual computational cost of operations.

### What's changing

With the release of Dynamic Complexity, the [`productCreate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productcreate) and [`productUpdate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productUpdate) mutations will now have a base cost of 10-points, and additional points will be calcuated based on the complexity of the input.

* **Base cost**: 10 points
* **Per product metafield**: 0.4 points
* **Per product media**: 1.9 points

The total complexity is calculated as:

```
10 +
  (product_metafields × 0.4) +
  (product_media × 1.9)
```

### Migration guidance

For most apps, no changes are required.

For apps working with high-complexity products exceeding the 1000-point single query limit:

* Consider using [bulk mutations](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/usage/bulk-operations/imports) for very large operations.
* Split complex operations into separate calls: use the [`productCreate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productcreate) and [`productUpdate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productUpdate) mutations for core product data, then use [`metafieldsSet`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metafieldsSet) and [`fileCreate`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/fileCreate) for additional data.