Logan GelzerAI Shopify Developer: Faster Shopify Builds, Senior Review on Every Change
I'm Logan Gelzer, a Senior Shopify Expert. Since 2014 I've built for 200+ brands, and today I use AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini and ChatGPT) connected to Shopify's own docs and validation tools. The result is faster delivery and more thorough QA. I still review, test and ship every change myself.
What AI-assisted Shopify development means (and what it doesn't)
AI doesn't replace the developer. It removes the slow, repetitive parts of the job: reading an unfamiliar theme, writing boilerplate sections, looking up API fields, drafting test cases and checking work against Shopify's schemas. That leaves more of your budget for the parts that need 12 years of judgment, like architecture, checkout logic, performance, UX and the decision to publish.
What you get
- The same senior expert. You work with me directly. There are no account managers and no junior hand-offs, and you're not paying for a black-box "AI agency."
- Faster first drafts. Agents scaffold sections, Function logic and GraphQL queries in minutes. Then I refine them.
- More QA, not less. The time AI saves goes back into testing: theme linting, schema validation, cross-device checks and Lighthouse runs.
- No surprises on live stores. Work happens on a duplicate or unpublished theme or a dev store. Nothing gets published without my review and your approval.
What it isn't
It's not an AI theme generator, a "store in a day" promise, or copy-pasted ChatGPT code. Every line that reaches your store is reviewed and tested by me.
My AI Shopify development stack
I pick the tool for the task, not the other way round. Every agent is connected to Shopify's official context layer, so it works from current docs and schemas instead of memory.
Claude Code
Multi-file theme, app and Functions workClaude Code reads the whole repository, so it's my main agent for changes that cut across a theme or app: new OS 2.0 sections and blocks, metafield- and metaobject-driven templates, Shopify Functions, and Admin GraphQL work. I keep project rules in CLAUDE.md, plan changes before any edits happen, and use hooks to run Shopify Theme Check after edits.
Cursor
Liquid, CSS and fast, precise editsCursor is my editor for line-level Liquid, CSS and JavaScript changes, with project rules scoped to folders like sections/ and snippets/. It's fast for refinement, debugging and reviewing an agent's diff before I commit it.
Gemini (Google Antigravity)
Browser-level QA and a second opinionAntigravity's agents can work in the browser as well as the editor. I use them for click-through QA on preview themes (variant pickers, cart drawers, bundle flows) and as an independent second opinion on tricky logic.
ChatGPT and Codex
Research, content and PR reviewI use ChatGPT for research, migration mapping, structured product and SEO content drafts, and an independent review pass on pull requests. A second model catches different mistakes than the first one.
Shopify AI Toolkit, Dev MCP and Shopify CLI
Foundation layerShopify's AI Toolkit and Dev MCP server give each agent current shopify.dev documentation and API schemas, and they validate GraphQL, Liquid and UI-extension code against Shopify's schemas. Shopify CLI handles local preview, linting, unpublished theme pushes and local Function runs. Hydrogen projects get Shopify's version-matched agent skills.
What I build with AI-assisted workflows
Liquid theme development and OS 2.0 refactors
Custom sections and blocks, metafield/metaobject content, legacy 1.0 → 2.0 migrations, app-bloat cleanup.
Hydrogen and headless storefronts
Hydrogen, Next.js and Builder.io builds, with Hydrogen agent skills kept in sync with the installed version.
Shopify Functions and Checkout Extensibility
Discount, delivery, payment and cart-validation Functions; Checkout UI extensions; rebuilding legacy Shopify Scripts logic.
Custom and public Shopify apps
Admin GraphQL integrations, app extensions, Polaris UI and App Store readiness reviews.
Migrations
Theme migrations, Scripts → Functions, Liquid → Hydrogen, and data and metafield migrations, mapped and diffed with AI and verified by hand.
QA and performance
Test plans, regression checklists, Theme Check, Lighthouse and Core Web Vitals passes.
Content and technical SEO
Structured product content drafts, metafield-driven FAQs, JSON-LD, alt text and redirect maps, all edited by a human before they go live.
My process: AI speed, senior judgment
Scope (human)
We agree on the outcome, constraints and acceptance criteria on a short call. I get collaborator access and set up a dev store or duplicate theme.
Map the codebase (AI-assisted)
Agents read the theme or app and summarize how it's built, where the risks are and which apps are loaded. I check the summary before I trust it.
Plan (human-approved)
The agent proposes a change plan, and I edit it before any code is written.
Build (AI-assisted, senior-led)
Agents draft the code using Shopify's docs and schemas. I refine the architecture, naming, performance and UX.
Validate and QA (both)
Schema validation, Theme Check, local Function runs, browser click-throughs, device testing and Lighthouse. A second model reviews the diff, and I review it last.
Ship (human)
You approve the preview, I publish, and I watch the launch. Everything is in Git, so any change can be rolled back.
Guardrails for your store and your data
- Work happens on unpublished themes, dev stores and Git branches, never by editing a live theme directly.
- Store-changing commands run only after my explicit approval. Publishing needs yours too.
- No customer PII, API secrets or private data go into AI prompts. Client code stays in your repository or my private one.
- If your company has an AI policy, or prefers no AI at all, I follow it. The price and the senior attention stay the same.
Who this is for
DTC brands on Shopify or Shopify Plus
That want senior-quality work without agency overhead or agency timelines.
In-house teams
That want their developers using Claude Code or Cursor safely on Shopify, with rules, validation and review built in.
Agencies
That need white-label Shopify Plus, Hydrogen or Functions capacity from someone who already works this way.
Pricing for AI-assisted Shopify development
Same rates as everything I do: from $100/hr with a $1,000 minimum project. AI doesn't add a surcharge. When it saves time, that time goes into scope or QA, or comes off your bill. Fixed-scope projects are quoted after a short technical discovery, and retainers are available.
AI Workflow Setup for Shopify teams, from $1,000
I set up the Shopify AI Toolkit/Dev MCP, write CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md and Cursor rules for your theme or app, add Theme Check and validation to your CI, and run a 60-minute walkthrough with your developers.
AI Shopify development FAQ
Do you use AI to write Shopify code?+
Yes. I use Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini and ChatGPT, connected to Shopify's AI Toolkit and Dev MCP, to draft, validate and test code faster. I review, refine and test every change myself before it reaches your store, so you get senior-quality work delivered sooner.
Will AI-written code break my Shopify store?+
Not if it's handled properly. All work happens on an unpublished theme, dev store or Git branch. Code is validated against Shopify's schemas, linted with Theme Check, tested in the browser and reviewed by me. Nothing goes live until you approve the preview.
Is AI-assisted Shopify development cheaper?+
My rates stay the same, from $100/hr with a $1,000 minimum project. AI cuts the time spent on repetitive work, so most of the benefit shows up as faster delivery, more QA coverage, or more scope for the same budget, not a lower hourly rate.
Which AI tools do you use for Shopify development?+
Claude Code for multi-file theme, app and Functions work, Cursor for precise Liquid and CSS edits, Gemini in Google Antigravity for browser-based QA, and ChatGPT and Codex for research, content drafts and second-opinion code review. Shopify's AI Toolkit and Dev MCP connect them to current docs.
Can AI build Shopify Functions and checkout customizations?+
AI can draft Function input queries and logic in JavaScript or Rust, and Shopify's tools can validate the code. Checkout logic still needs careful senior testing with real carts, discounts and edge cases. I rebuild legacy Scripts as Functions and test every scenario before launch.
Is my store data safe when you use AI?+
Yes. I don't put customer personal data, API secrets or private business data into AI prompts. I work from code and dev stores, and store-changing commands only run with my explicit approval. If your company has an AI policy, I'll follow it, including working with no AI at all.
Can you set up Claude Code or Cursor for my in-house Shopify team?+
Yes. I can install Shopify's AI Toolkit or Dev MCP, write project rules for your theme or app, add Theme Check and schema validation to your workflow, and train your developers on a review process that keeps AI-generated code safe to ship.
Are you an AI agency?+
No. I'm an independent Senior Shopify Expert. AI tools speed up my workflow, but you work directly with me on every project, from scoping to code review to launch. There are no account managers and no junior hand-offs.
Want senior Shopify work, delivered faster?
Tell me what you need built, fixed or migrated. I'll reply with a scoped plan and an honest view of where AI helps and where it doesn't.