What is Shopify Hydrogen?

Shopify's framework for building custom, headless storefronts with React. It connects to your Shopify products, cart and checkout through the Storefront API.

Shopify's hosting platform for Hydrogen storefronts, included on most Shopify plans.

Is a Hydrogen store faster than a theme?

It can be, when it's built well, but a well-built theme is already fast. Speed alone is rarely a good reason to go headless.

Can my team still edit content?

Yes, through a headless CMS or Shopify metaobjects. Editing is less visual than the theme editor, so we plan it together.

How much does a Hydrogen build cost?

More than a theme build, because it's custom software. Hydrogen projects start from $2,500. I'll quote after a scoping call.

Headless commerce · React · Storefront API · Oxygen

Shopify Hydrogen Developer for Headless Shopify Stores

Hydrogen is Shopify's own React framework for building custom storefronts on top of Shopify's checkout and admin. I build Hydrogen stores for brands that have outgrown what a theme can do, and I'll tell you honestly if you haven't.

Talk about a Hydrogen build Is headless right for me?

Fig. 02 · Fit

When a Shopify Hydrogen store makes sense

Go headless when your theme is the bottleneck: you need a storefront experience a theme can't deliver, content from another CMS on the same pages, several storefronts on one catalog, or a level of speed and control your team will actively use. Stay on a theme if your store mainly needs good design, a few custom sections and fewer apps. That's cheaper and your team keeps the visual editor.

Fig. 03 · Cutaway

Peel back the storefront

Drag the cut line to see what's underneath a Hydrogen store, then compare it with a classic Liquid theme.

Fig. C · Cutaway · Hydrogen

Move the cut line

05Storefront (React components)
04Hydrogen routing and caching
03Storefront API
02Shopify admin and checkout
01Oxygen hosting

Fig. 04 · Services

What I build with Hydrogen

Headless storefronts with React components, server rendering and smart caching.
Content from a headless CMS (Sanity, Contentful, Strapi or Shopify metaobjects) on product and landing pages.
Migrations from a Liquid theme to Hydrogen with redirects and SEO kept intact.
Deployment on Oxygen, Shopify's hosting for Hydrogen, or on another host when your setup needs it.
Performance work on existing Hydrogen stores.

Fig. 05 · Experience

Why hire a Hydrogen developer who also knows Liquid

Many headless projects fail because the team only knows React and fights Shopify's data model, or only knows themes and fights React. I've shipped both, so I can tell you which parts of your store should go headless and which shouldn't.

Fig. 06 · Projects

Recent Hydrogen projects

Shopify Hydrogen · Furniture
A premium furniture store
A premium furniture store on a custom-built Shopify Hydrogen storefront, focused on fast load times and seamless navigation.
Read the case study: A premium furniture store

Fig. 07 · FAQ

Shopify Hydrogen FAQ

What is Shopify Hydrogen?: Shopify's framework for building custom, headless storefronts with React. It connects to your Shopify products, cart and checkout through the Storefront API.
What is Oxygen?: Shopify's hosting platform for Hydrogen storefronts, included on most Shopify plans.
Is a Hydrogen store faster than a theme?: It can be, when it's built well, but a well-built theme is already fast. Speed alone is rarely a good reason to go headless.
Can my team still edit content?: Yes, through a headless CMS or Shopify metaobjects. Editing is less visual than the theme editor, so we plan it together.
How much does a Hydrogen build cost?: More than a theme build, because it's custom software. Hydrogen projects start from $2,500. I'll quote after a scoping call.

Next step

Not sure if you need headless?

Book a call. If a theme will do the job, I'll tell you, and save you the money.

Talk about a Hydrogen build info@hafizahsanali.com