Apps
Apps are the extension mechanism designed for Shopware’s Cloud environment. Unlike plugins, they don't run code directly inside the shop system. Instead, they work in an event-driven way and communicate with external services through APIs. This makes them less intrusive while still highly flexible.
Apps are well-suited for use cases such as:
- Integrating with third-party services (e.g., ERP, CRM, marketing tools)
- Providing payment methods and forwarding to external payment providers
- Adding storefront customizations, including themes
- Handling data or processes outside the shop system (e.g., product synchronization, advanced shipping logic, analytics workflows)
- Extending or modifying core functionality such as checkout behavior, pricing and discount logic, payment flows, product catalog management, or search behavior
- Customizing the Storefront or Administration; creating custom themes, adding custom blocks or Storefront elements, or modifying the appearance and layout of the Administration panel
- Facilitating integration with external systems to allow seamless data synchronization, order and product management, and cross-platform workflows
You can develop apps using the Shopware App SDK, App Scripts, and external services via the App API. Apps offer a modular and scalable way to extend and customize the platform according to specific business requirements.
Follow our App Base Guide and App Starter Guide to learn how to develop an app.
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Apps also provide theme support, so everything you can do with a theme plugin is also possible in an app. This makes them the preferred option for customizing design in Cloud shops.
To understand how apps differ from other extension types, see the Overview table.
