Your Comprehensive Guide to Hiring Great Shopify Developers

Hard skills (the must-haves)

Shopify developers need to have these technical skills:

• Liquid templating language: Liquid is the backbone of every Shopify theme, but it’s not exclusive to Shopify. It also powers several popular web platforms like Zendesk, Thinkific, Spiceworks, and 500px. That’s why it’s important to confirm your candidate has direct experience using Liquid within Shopify’s environment and not just familiarity with the syntax.
• JavaScript and modern JS frameworks: JavaScript is essential for dynamic storefront elements like interactive carts, modals, and animations. Developers should also have experience with modern frameworks like React, especially if you plan to use Hydrogen for custom builds. Ask to see GitHub examples or walk through recent front-end work in an interview.
• Theme customization and Shopify APIs: From simple layout tweaks to more complex structural changes, developers should be comfortable editing themes directly or using Shopify’s CLI. They should also know how to connect your store to other tools or services using Shopify’s REST or GraphQL APIs.
• Performance tuning and SEO fundamentals: Most users will abandon a website after only 4 seconds of wait time, which means that slow sites lose sales. Look for candidates who know how to reduce render-blocking scripts, compress assets, and structure pages for faster loading. Basic SEO knowledge, like schema markup, title tags, and clean URL structures, should also be part of their skill set.
• Understanding of payment systems and storefront UX: Great Shopify developers consider the full customer journey. That means optimizing checkout flows, troubleshooting abandoned cart issues, and making sure that payment integrations function smoothly. If they can reference UX best practices that impact conversion, even better.

Soft skills (equally important)

While technical skills get your store running, soft skills keep projects moving forward:

• Clear, structured communication: Many Shopify developers work asynchronously, especially in distributed teams. Clear documentation, regular updates, and well-written Slack messages can prevent confusion and missed deadlines.
• Proactive problem solving: The best devs don’t wait for instructions. They anticipate issues and suggest improvements. Ask about a time they solved a technical problem without being asked, especially one that impacted the business.
• Ability to explain technical concepts to non-devs: Shopify developers often collaborate with marketers, designers, and founders. Look for people who can explain their decisions in plain language, not just dev jargon.
• Taking ownership over deliverables: In our experience, top developers are accountable. They care about outcomes, not just checking off tickets. During interviews, ask how they handle missed deadlines or unexpected bugs.
• Collaboration with designers and back-end engineers: Shopify is rarely developed and run by a single person. Developers should know how to work with Figma files, align on API expectations, and flag issues early to avoid blockers. Good candidates will share examples of successful cross-functional work.

The “nice-to-have” skills (the differentiators)

These skills aren’t essential but can give your hire a strategic edge. This is especially true if you’re scaling quickly:

• Experience with Shopify Plus: Handling multi-store setups, advanced automation, and larger-scale deployments requires experience beyond the standard Shopify toolkit.
• A/B testing and CRO experience: Developers who understand conversion rate optimization can help improve performance across key funnels, often with small, high-impact changes.
• Headless commerce or Hydrogen familiarity: Headless builds are gaining traction. Developers who know Shopify’s Hydrogen or other React-based frameworks can help you future-proof your store.
• Shopify app development: If you plan to build custom features or sell apps in the Shopify App Store, experience in app development is a major plus.
• Agile or sprint-based team experience: Shopify developers who’ve worked in structured teams are often better at estimating work, managing scope, and delivering on time.

Choosing the right location

Start by deciding if your Shopify developer will work in-office, remotely within the US, or remotely from another country.

Each option has its own trade-offs in terms of cost, availability, and collaboration:

• Local/in-office developers: Hiring someone local can make collaboration easier, especially for teams that rely on in-person meetings or close coordination with other departments. There are fewer barriers to onboarding and admin tasks, and the developer can be deeply embedded in your company culture. However, this option often comes with the highest price tag, especially in major US cities.
• Remote US-based developers: Remote hiring within the US gives you access to a wider talent pool while maintaining cultural familiarity and business alignment. Developers are used to US workflows and communication styles, and time zone differences are minimal. However, compensation expectations remain at US salary levels.
• International developers: If you’re open to hiring internationally, the talent pool becomes much larger and often more affordable. Developers in regions like Latin America, Eastern Europe, and South and Southeast Asia bring strong technical skills and experience, often at significantly lower costs.

From our experience, Latin America is a particularly strong fit for US-based companies. Developers in this region offer a compelling mix of skills, communication ability, and working hour overlap.

These are just some of the benefits of working with offshore Shopify developers in Latin America:

• Time zone alignment: Most Latin American countries share similar working hours with US teams, making real-time collaboration and faster turnaround much easier.
• Strong English proficiency: It’s relatively easy to find developers fluent in English, which reduces miscommunication and helps projects move forward without friction.
• Cultural familiarity: LatAm developers often understand US business expectations, work culture, and e-commerce trends, making integration into your existing workflows smooth.
• Cost efficiency: Due to lower living costs, you can hire highly skilled professionals at a more sustainable rate without compromising on quality.

That said, countries like the Philippines, India, and Poland also offer excellent Shopify talent. Just be aware of time zones and workflow differences when planning team integration.

Choosing the right sourcing channel

Once you’ve decided where to hire from, the next step is figuring out how to find qualified candidates. Here’s how different sourcing options stack up:

Each approach works best in different scenarios. If you need speed and can dedicate time to vetting, job boards or direct outreach may be enough.

The right approach often depends on your priorities. For some teams, combining multiple sourcing methods, such as using internal referrals, posting in Shopify forums, and advertising on job boards, can yield good results.

If you’re hiring for a long-term role or working internationally, using a recruitment partner can help shorten your time and reduce the risk of a bad match. We’ll dig into the specific benefits of that approach later on, but it’s particularly useful for sourcing international talent. 

To get an idea of the companies you could consider working with, see our article on 11 companies to consider for hiring developers in Latin America. 

Of course, hiring isn’t your only option. Some companies prefer to work with Shopify development outsourcing companies for specific projects or when they need specialized expertise without adding to their permanent headcount. This approach works particularly well for one-off builds, major migrations, or complex integrations.

Stage 1: Set yourself up for success before sourcing

Stage 2: Screen for skill, strategy, and ownership

Stage 3: Make the offer and close the deal

Offer more than a paycheck

In our experience, developers care about three things beyond salary: the freedom to do meaningful work, time to rest, and opportunities to grow. That means offering flexibility, PTO that reflects local standards, and clear communication about their role in the bigger picture.

If you’re hiring a remote Shopify developer, the benefits you offer matter even more. Think about what makes the role practical and appealing from the start. This might include:

• Monthly stipends for internet or coworking spaces.
• Shipping out high-quality equipment to set them up for success.
• Flexible hours based on output, not a fixed 9-to-5.
• Clear documentation and onboarding support so they aren’t left guessing.

These show that your company respects how remote developers work best. If you want to attract serious candidates, include these details in your remote worker job description from day one.

You can also explore what makes a competitive offer in our full guide on making a good job offer to hire and retain top talent.

“Can you walk me through a recent Shopify project and your specific role in it?”

This question tests for clarity, ownership, and real experience. 

You’re looking for a candidate who can explain the business goal, their technical contributions, and the impact their work had. A strong answer might touch on theme customization, performance improvements, or collaboration with marketing or design.

Red flag: Vague or overly general answers or someone who can’t explain what they personally contributed.

“What’s your process for improving site speed on a Shopify storefront?”

Speed affects sales, so this question checks their performance mindset. 

Good developers will mention techniques like lazy loading, minifying assets, analyzing performance with tools like Lighthouse, and reducing unused code. An added plus if they reference the impact of these optimizations on conversion rates.

Red flag: Focusing only on superficial changes like “removing images” without understanding deeper performance fixes.

“How do you typically work with designers or marketing teams when requirements shift?”

Shopify developers rarely work in isolation. This question helps gauge flexibility and communication.

Strong candidates will talk about aligning timelines, managing feedback loops, and adjusting code without compromising quality.

Red flag: Blaming scope creep or avoiding shared accountability when describing past collaborations.

“Have you worked with Shopify Plus or headless builds like Hydrogen? What was the most challenging part?”

This tests for depth of experience, especially with more complex builds.

Look for someone who can explain the technical differences, describe integrations or deployment workflows, and reflect on how they overcame specific hurdles.

Red flag: Overstating familiarity or glossing over technical challenges they should have encountered.

“How do you handle feedback on your code or implementation decisions?”

This question reveals emotional maturity and a growth mindset.

Strong candidates won’t just say they “accept feedback.” They’ll explain how they’ve applied it, improved from it, and handled disagreements constructively.

Red flag: Defensiveness, or someone who struggles to recall a specific moment when feedback improved their work.

These interview questions for hiring Shopify developers are designed to help you uncover who’s ready to build, scale, and collaborate.

1. Prioritizing cost over quality

Shopify development is technical work, but it’s also your revenue engine. If you hire based on price alone, you risk launching a store that looks fine on the surface but breaks under traffic or doesn’t convert.

A cheaper junior developer might save money upfront, but experienced developers deliver better long-term value. They write cleaner code, anticipate performance issues, and understand how technical decisions impact conversion rates.

They also work faster and require less hand-holding, which means projects get done right the first time.

For example, an experienced developer might charge more per hour but complete a complex theme customization in half the time it takes someone junior. They’ll also build it to handle traffic spikes and future feature additions without requiring a complete rebuild.

When your store is your primary revenue source, investing in quality development pays for itself through better performance and fewer headaches down the road.

2. Filtering candidates based on degrees 

In some regions, like Latin America, many great developers start working before finishing a formal degree. Dismissing candidates without a college background can cause you to overlook some of the most capable talent available.

What matters more is experience: Have they built and maintained Shopify stores? Can they show measurable results? Focus on real-world projects, communication skills, and the ability to write clean, scalable code.

3. Overcomplicating the hiring process

Lengthy hiring funnels with multiple technical rounds or slow decision-making can put off top candidates. Shopify developers are in high demand, and many won’t stick around if they don’t hear back promptly or are asked to complete unpaid assignments.

If your hiring process takes more than a week or two from the first conversation to offer, you’re likely losing out. Use a short, focused test and a couple of well-structured interviews. Most importantly, always keep candidates updated.

4. Not being upfront about your tech roadmap

Some teams hire developers for today’s stack, only to realize that three months later, they need to switch to Hydrogen or Shopify Plus. This mismatch leads to friction, rework, or even turnover.

Be clear from the start about where your platform is going. If you’re planning to integrate headless builds or custom Shopify apps, share that during the interview. Great developers want to know what’s ahead. This is so they can decide if they’re a fit for you.

5. Relying only on portfolios to assess skill

A polished GitHub repo or theme demo can look impressive, but it doesn’t show how the developer works in context. Portfolios are curated and don’t reflect real-world work. 

You don’t know how much support they had, how long the work took, or whether they even wrote the code themselves.

Always go beyond the portfolio. Use a paid, real-world test to see how they approach your specific challenges. Combine that with interviews that focus on communication, problem-solving, and accountability.