If you’re developing apps, making advanced customizations and adding new functionality to a Shopify store, or building/testing a Shopify client library; then you’re going to need an API key at some point for a real Shopify store. The API key is an easy item to find if you’ve already got the Shopify app ready; you’re assigned a unique API key when you create a Shopify app. However, if you need to generate an access code, that is a little more challenging.

Access tokens are only generated when a regular app authorization takes place during the installation of the app. Therefore, unless you have an app, it’s much harder. It is very time-consuming as well. You would have to manually install the app, write code to authorize installation, and then get the code to deliver the API code to you.

And if the app is ever uninstalled from the Shopify store, the API code becomes invalid.

Key Takeaways
1
Creating a Shopify Developer account is the first step to access token generation, involving a simple but time-consuming process.
2
In the Developer Dashboard, navigate to ‘Development Shops’ and create a new online store, avoiding ‘retail’ or ‘combined’ store options.
3
Generate an access token by creating a private app in your store’s ‘Apps’ section; the ‘Password’ field contains the needed token.

An Easier Option

There is an easier option when you’re testing Shopify client libraries. The process is rather simple. You need to get a Shopify developer account, which is essential if you’re building Shopify apps for clients or sale, and then create a dev shop and a ‘private app’ for the dev shop.

The private app is different from a normal app as it can only exist on the shop that you create it on. It cannot be installed on another store, even if you try, and it is granted full permissions.

Therefore, a private app is the perfect tool for testing Shopify client libraries or for testing your own Shopify apps before releasing them onto the Shopify App Store.

Here are the steps to getting that API access code.

Step 1 - Create Shopify Developer Account

To start with, you need to head over to the partners signup sheet and create a Shopify Developer account. This is a simple process but can take some time.

Step 2 - Development Shops

Within the developer dashboard, you need to click on the link that says, ‘Development Shops’ that is within the left hand navigation bar.

Step 3 - New Development Store

Now click on the ‘Create A New Development Store’ at the top right of the page. You need to go through a quick form to get it setup. For the purposes of the API, you only need to create an online store so be sure that you have that option checked and not the ‘retail store’ or ‘online and retail store’ options.

Step 4 - Login

Once your store has been fully created, you can login in and locate the ‘Apps’ section on the left-hand side navigation bar. There you can click on the ‘Private Apps’ button that is situated at the top right of the page.

Step 5 - Create A Private App

Now you can create a new private app. This should redirect you to a screen that provides you with all the necessary credential information for the app.

In the screen there will be an option that reads ‘Password’. This is actually the access token that you want. All you need to do is to copy that information and your dev shop’s myshopify.com URL address when you want to test your client library.