Deploy app extensions

After you create one or more app extensions, you can deploy and release them to users as an app version.

Deployment workflow

Anchor link to section titled "Deployment workflow"

All of the extensions in your app, including extensions created in the Partner Dashboard, are versioned together as a single app version.

When you run the deploy command using Shopify CLI, an app version is created and released. You can revert to a previous app version at any time. You can also create an app version from the Partner Dashboard.

Releasing an app version replaces the current active version that's served to stores that have your app installed. It might take several minutes for app users to be upgraded to the new version.

A diagram of the simplified deployment model. When the deploy command is run, an app version containing CLI-managed and dashboard-managed extensions is created and released.

App versions

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An app version is a snapshot of all of your app extensions. The contents of your app version are different depending on the tool you use to create it.

For details about creating and managing app versions, refer to Deploy and release extensions.

Tool	App version contents
Shopify CLI	An app version created using Shopify CLI contains the following extensions: The local version of the app's CLI-managed extensions. If you have an extension in your deployed app, but the extension code doesn't exist locally, then the extension isn't included in your app version. When the version is released, the extensions that aren't included in your app version are no longer available to users. The latest drafts of dashboard-managed extensions.
Partner Dashboard	An app version created using the Partner Dashboard contains the following extensions: The CLI-managed extensions that are present in the active app version. The latest drafts of dashboard-managed extensions.

Tool

App version contents

Shopify CLI

An app version created using Shopify CLI contains the following extensions:

The local version of the app's CLI-managed extensions. If you have an extension in your deployed app, but the extension code doesn't exist locally, then the extension isn't included in your app version. When the version is released, the extensions that aren't included in your app version are no longer available to users.
The latest drafts of dashboard-managed extensions.

Partner Dashboard

An app version created using the Partner Dashboard contains the following extensions:

The CLI-managed extensions that are present in the active app version.
The latest drafts of dashboard-managed extensions.

Updates to the deployment model

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On July 26th, 2023, we released several improvements to the extension deployment, versioning, and release process, known as simplified deployment. On September 5, 2023, this new deployment model was applied to all apps.

The simplified deployment model includes the following workflow enhancements:

Enhancement	Description
App-level versioning for extensions	The Shopify CLI `deploy` command creates an app version, which is a snapshot of all of your extensions, including dashboard-managed extensions.
Unified extension deployment	Deploy your CLI-managed extensions and dashboard-managed extensions in a single app version, instead of versioning and publishing them individually.
Release from Shopify CLI	Instead of visiting the Partner Dashboard to publish each extension, create and release a new app version to production directly from the command line using the Shopify CLI `deploy` command. You can also create an app version and release it from the Partner Dashboard.
Function workflow improvements	Preview functions without deploying them using the Shopify CLI `dev` command. Version and release functions together with your other extensions using the `deploy` command.
Delete extensions	Delete most CLI-managed and dashboard-managed extensions, with the exception of payment app extensions. Learn more about removing extensions from your app.
Performance improvements for app users	Instead of storing your app in a central location where it can be accessed by stores, an app is stored directly with the stores on which it’s installed, offering performance and stability benefits.

Workflow impacts

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The following tables outline some of the key changes to the extension deployment process that might impact your development workflow. It also includes recommendations to help you to adapt to each change.

Deploying and releasing extensions

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Before simplified deployment	After simplified deployment	Recommendation
Dashboard-managed extensions are released independently, and aren't impacted by other extension releases.	When anyone creates and releases a new app version from the CLI or Partner Dashboard, any saved drafts of dashboard-managed extensions are released.	Make sure that your extension drafts in the Partner Dashboard are in a releasable state. For extra control, we've added a `--no-release` flag on the `deploy` command. You can use this command to check your dashboard-managed extensions before releasing the app version through the Partner Dashboard.
When you run the Shopify CLI `deploy` command, all local copies of CLI-managed extensions are added as drafts in the Partner Dashboard. You can then release them individually from the Partner Dashboard.	When you run the Shopify CLI `deploy` command, all local copies of CLI-managed extensions are deployed and released.	Use source control to ensure that the extensions in your local project are up to date and ready to be released.
All extensions are released individually from the Partner Dashboard.	When you create and release an app version in the Partner Dashboard, only changes to dashboard-managed extensions are released. CLI-managed extensions remain unchanged from the active app version.	If you need to release changes to both dashboard-managed extensions and CLI-managed extensions at the same time, then save pending changes to dashboard-managed extensions as drafts, and then run the `deploy` command using Shopify CLI.
Extensions are deployed independently, so they don't all need to be present in your environment at deployment time.	Extensions that aren't present in the environment where you're deploying from aren't included in your app version.	If you manage app extensions using multiple repositories, then consider one of the following options: Include all extensions in your app's source control repository. Including remote extension repositories as Git submodules. Make sure that other relevant repositories are available locally, and are up to date. Point to those directories using the `extension_directories` property of your app configuration file.

Testing extensions

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Before simplified deployment	After simplified deployment	Recommendation
You need to run the `deploy` command to test certain types of extensions on Shopify, including Shopify Functions and Web Pixel extensions.	The `dev` command builds these extensions and pushes drafts to Shopify.	Run the `dev` command to test your extension in a development store. The `dev` command enables development store preview while dev mode is running.

Deleting extensions

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Before simplified deployment	After simplified deployment	Recommendation
Functions are deleted through the Partner Dashboard.	Functions that aren't present in the environment where you're deploying are removed in your next app version on deploy. Associated function owners are deleted when the version is activated in installed stores.	Use one of the previously described options for managing app extensions from your app source.