Welcome to the frontier. Whether you’re here to escape manual data entry or build a custom command center, here is everything you need to know about wielding Shopify Sidekick like a pro.
The Basics: What is Sidekick, Anyway?
What can Shopify Sidekick actually do?
Think of Sidekick as a Senior Developer that lives in your Admin sidebar. Unlike basic chatbots, Sidekick has “hands”—it can read your product data, write new logic, and build custom Admin Extensions (mini-apps) on the fly. It’s designed to eliminate the “Soul-Crushing” tasks that usually require a $100/mo app subscription.
What are the best use cases for Sidekick?
If you find yourself clicking the same button 50 times a day, Sidekick is the answer. Good use cases include:
- Custom Dashboards: Building one-page views to manage specific tags, prices, or inventory.
- Bulk Automation: Updating hundreds of products based on complex logic (e.g., “Tag everything over $100 as ‘Premium’”).
- Data Visualization: Creating charts or tables to see your sales data in ways the standard reports don’t allow.
The Setup: Getting “Lab Ready”
How do I turn on App Development Mode?
To build the “Recipes” found on this site, Sidekick needs permission to create code.
- Log in to your Shopify Admin.
- Navigate to Settings > Apps and sales channels.
- Click Develop apps.
- Click Allow custom app development. Note: You only need to do this once to unlock the ability for Sidekick to generate custom interfaces for you.
The Troubleshooting: Refining the Build
What if the prompt doesn’t build exactly what I expected?
Even a Senior Dev needs a second pair of eyes. If the app Sidekick builds is “almost there” but not perfect, don’t start over. Talk to it.
- Be Specific: Instead of saying “it doesn’t work,” say “The ‘Bulk Tag’ button is missing, please add it using a Polaris Primary Button component.”
- Reference the Error: If you see a red error message, copy and paste that exact text back into Sidekick. It will usually apologize and fix the code instantly.
- Iterate: Build the UI first, then ask for the logic. (This is why our “Recipes” are often split into Step A and Step B!)
Why does my app look different than the screenshots?
Sidekick is generative, meaning it might choose a slightly different layout each time. If you want a specific look, tell it: “Use a ‘LegacyCard’ layout for the main table” or “Make the header green.”
The Safety Check
Is it safe to run these prompts?
We call it “God-Mode” for a reason—it’s powerful. Sidekick mutations (like tagsAdd) change your live store data. The Golden Rule: Always test a new prompt on a single “Test Product” or a development store before running it against your entire 5,000-item catalog.
Learn more about Sidekick in the Shopify Help Centre
https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shopify-admin/productivity-tools/sidekick
Every Shopify Hero Needs a Sidekick. 