Hafiz Ahsan Ali
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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 buildIs headless right for me?
Spec sheet · Shopify HydrogenSVC-03
Platform
Shopify Hydrogen
In production since
2023
Starting at
$2,500 per project
Typical timeline
Scoped on a call
Edited after handover by
Your team, via a headless CMS
You keep
Accounts, code and content

01 · Fixed quote in writing before work starts

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

A cross-section of a headless Shopify store: React storefront on top, then Hydrogen routing and caching, the Storefront API, Shopify admin and checkout, with Oxygen hosting as the foundation. A second view shows a Liquid theme for comparison.

  1. 05Storefront (React components)
  2. 04Hydrogen routing and caching
  3. 03Storefront API
  4. 02Shopify admin and checkout
  5. 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 · 2024

    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

No.Request for information · 5 received
RFI-01

What is Shopify Hydrogen?

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

Responded by H. Ahsan Ali · RFI-01

RFI-02

What is Oxygen?

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

Responded by H. Ahsan Ali · RFI-02

RFI-03

Is a Hydrogen store faster than a theme?

Resp.
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.

Responded by H. Ahsan Ali · RFI-03

RFI-04

Can my team still edit content?

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

Responded by H. Ahsan Ali · RFI-04

RFI-05

How much does a Hydrogen build cost?

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

Responded by H. Ahsan Ali · RFI-05

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 buildinfo@hafizahsanali.com