---
title: Create apps using the Dev Dashboard
description: >-
  Create simple integrations and connect external services using the Dev
  Dashboard.
source_url:
  html: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/create-apps-using-dev-dashboard
  md: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/create-apps-using-dev-dashboard.md
---

# Create apps using the Dev Dashboard

The Dev Dashboard provides a simplified interface for creating apps and integrating them with the Shopify admin. This makes it the best choice for quick integrations, such as connecting an existing system to Shopify.

**Info:**

Creating an app for the app store? [Build using Shopify CLI instead](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/cli-for-apps).

***

## What you'll learn

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to do the following tasks:

* Create and configure a new app using the Dev Dashboard
* Install your app on a dev store
* Authenticate your app to make API requests

***

## Requirements

* You're a [user with app development permissions](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/user-permissions).
* You're using the latest version of [Chrome](https://www.google.com/chrome/) or [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/).

***

## Step 1: Create a new app

You can create a new Shopify app right from your [Dev Dashboard](https://dev.shopify.com/dashboard/).

1. From the Dev Dashboard, be sure you're on **Apps** in the left-panel navigation and select **Create app** in the top, right corner of the screen.
2. Select **Start from Dev Dashboard**.
3. Name your app, then select **Create**.

***

## Step 2: Create a version

Once you've created the app, you can create a version. A version is a snapshot of your app's current configuration, URLs, and settings. Your app must have at least one version before it can be installed on a store.

From the **Versions** tab of your app in the Dev Dashboard, complete your desired fields, including:

1. Defining your app URL. If your app isn't embedded in the Shopify admin, you can use the default URL `https://shopify.dev/apps/default-app-home`.
2. Selecting a Webhooks API version (typically the newest version).
3. Entering or selecting your app [scopes](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/cli-for-apps/app-configuration#access_scopes). These define the data and features your app can access within the Shopify platform. Note that access to protected customer data or other sensitive information [requires approval](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/protected-customer-data#request-access-to-protected-customer-data).
4. Select **Release**.

Versions enable you to track changes to your app configuration over time and roll back to previous configurations if needed. When you update scopes in a new version of your app, updates are not applied automatically to the stores your apps are installed in.\
Merchants still need to manually approve new scopes within your Admin.

***

## Step 3: Install your app

Complete the following steps to install your app on a store:

1. From your app, select **Home** in the left-panel of the Dev Dashboard.
2. Scroll down and select **Install app**.
3. Select or create the store for your app.
4. Select **Install**.

Your app is now installed. To start making API calls, you'll need to authenticate your app as described in the next step.

***

## Step 4: Authenticate your app

To make API requests, your app needs an access token. If you're building apps for your own store, you can use the client credentials grant:

1. From your app in the Dev Dashboard, select **Settings**.
2. Copy your **Client ID** and **Client secret**.
3. Use these credentials to programmatically request an access token from Shopify's OAuth endpoint. Tokens expire after 24 hours—your code can request a new one when needed.

For code examples, response details, and troubleshooting, see [Get API access tokens](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/get-api-access-tokens).

**Info:**

If you're building with [Shopify CLI](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/cli-for-apps), authentication is handled automatically.

***

## Next steps

* Start building with the [Admin API](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin) to read and write store data.
* Configure [webhooks](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/webhooks) to receive real-time notifications about events in your store.
* Use the Dev Dashboard to [monitor your app's performance](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/monitoring-and-logs).

***