| name | shopify-common-errors |
| description | Diagnose and fix common Shopify API errors including 401, 403, 422, 429, and GraphQL errors.
Use when encountering Shopify errors, debugging failed requests,
or troubleshooting integration issues.
Trigger with phrases like "shopify error", "fix shopify",
"shopify not working", "debug shopify", "shopify 422".
|
| allowed-tools | Read, Grep, Bash(curl:*) |
| version | 2.7.0 |
| license | MIT |
| author | Jeremy Longshore <jeremy@intentsolutions.io> |
| tags | ["saas","ecommerce","shopify"] |
| compatibility | Designed for Claude Code |
Shopify Common Errors
Overview
Quick-reference guide for the most common Shopify API errors with real error messages, causes, and fixes.
Prerequisites
- Shopify app with API credentials configured
- Access to application logs or console output
Instructions
Step 1: Identify the Error Type
Check whether the error is an HTTP status code error or a GraphQL userErrors response.
Step 2: Match Error Below and Apply Fix
401 Unauthorized
Response: "[API] Invalid API key or access token (unrecognized login or wrong password)"
Causes: Access token expired (merchant uninstalled/reinstalled), wrong header, or using Storefront token for Admin API.
Fix: Verify token format (shpat_ + 32 hex chars) and test with a simple shop.json GET request.
403 Forbidden
Response: "This action requires merchant approval for read_orders scope."
Fix: Add the needed scope to shopify.app.toml under [access_scopes] and re-trigger OAuth.
404 Not Found
Causes: Wrong API version in URL, resource was deleted, or store domain is incorrect.
Fix: Verify the API version exists by checking /admin/api/versions.json.
422 Unprocessable Entity
Common triggers: Missing required fields, duplicate handle/slug, invalid metafield type, price format issues (must be string like "29.99"), invalid country/province codes.
Fix: Check the errors object or userErrors array for specific field-level messages.
429 Too Many Requests (Rate Limited)
REST returns 429 with Retry-After header. GraphQL returns 200 with THROTTLED error code in the body and zero currentlyAvailable points.
Fix: See shopify-rate-limits skill for complete backoff implementation.
GraphQL userErrors (200 with Errors)
Critical: Shopify returns HTTP 200 even when mutations fail. Always check after every mutation:
