---
title: app dev
description: 'Builds and previews your app on a dev store, and watches for changes.'
source_url:
  html: 'https://shopify.dev/docs/api/shopify-cli/app/app-dev'
  md: 'https://shopify.dev/docs/api/shopify-cli/app/app-dev.md'
api_name: shopify-cli
---

# app dev

Builds and previews your app on a dev store, and watches for changes. [Read more about testing apps locally](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/cli-for-apps/test-apps-locally).

#### Flags

The following flags are available for the `app dev` command:

* **--auth-alias \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_AUTH\_ALIAS**

  Alias of the Shopify account to use for authentication.

* **--checkout-cart-url \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_CHECKOUT\_CART\_URL**

  Resource URL for checkout UI extension. Format: "/cart/{productVariantID}:{productQuantity}"

* **--client-id \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_CLIENT\_ID**

  The Client ID of your app. Use with --config to run dev with that configuration for a different app than the one it is linked to.

* **--install-mkcert**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_INSTALL\_MKCERT**

  Install and use mkcert to generate localhost certificates when --use-localhost is enabled without prompting.

* **--json-schema**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_JSON\_SCHEMA**

  Print the command's JSON schemas.

* **--localhost-port \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_LOCALHOST\_PORT**

  Port to use for localhost. Must be between 1 and 65535.

* **--no-color**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_NO\_COLOR**

  Disable color output.

* **--no-input**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_NO\_INPUT**

  Disable interactive prompts and browser authentication.

* **--no-update**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_NO\_UPDATE**

  Uses the app URL from the toml file instead an autogenerated URL for dev.

* **--notify \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_NOTIFY**

  The file path or URL. The file path is to a file that you want updated on idle. The URL path is where you want a webhook posted to report on file changes.

* **--path \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_PATH**

  The path to your app directory.

* **--reset**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_RESET**

  Reset all your settings.

* **--skip-dependencies-installation**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_SKIP\_DEPENDENCIES\_INSTALLATION**

  Skips the installation of dependencies. Deprecated, use workspaces instead.

* **--store-password \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_STORE\_PASSWORD**

  The password for storefronts with password protection.

* **--subscription-product-url \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_SUBSCRIPTION\_PRODUCT\_URL**

  Resource URL for subscription UI extension. Format: "/products/{productId}"

* **--theme-app-extension-port \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_THEME\_APP\_EXTENSION\_PORT**

  Local port of the theme app extension development server. Must be between 1 and 65535.

* **--tunnel-url \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_TUNNEL\_URL**

  Use a custom tunnel, it must be running before executing dev. Format: "<https://my-tunnel-url:port>".

* **--unsafe-validation**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_UNSAFE\_VALIDATION**

  Allow app dev to continue with warnings for eligible app version validation failures.

* **--use-localhost**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_USE\_LOCALHOST**

  Service entry point will listen to localhost. A tunnel won't be used. Will work for testing many app features, but not those that directly invoke your app (E.g: Webhooks)

* **--verbose**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_VERBOSE**

  Increase the verbosity of the output. May include sensitive data.

* **-c, --config \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_APP\_CONFIG**

  The name of the app configuration.

* **-s, --store \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_STORE**

  Store URL. Must be an existing development or Shopify Plus sandbox store.

* **-t, --theme \<value>**

  **string**

  **env: SHOPIFY\_FLAG\_THEME**

  Theme ID or name of the theme app extension host theme.

### Examples

* #### App dev

  ##### app dev

  ```sh
  shopify app dev [flags]
  ```

***