We're head over heels for Gadget

Crossing paths with Gadget has allowed us completely flip our approach to development on its head, letting us bridge gaps between existing knowledge and implementing better technologies for our partners. This shift really helped tackle more full-stack projects for larger Shopify merchants.

Life Before Gadget

Before we started using Gadget, our development was mostly focused around Shopify themes, rather than apps and complex functionality. We had no shortage of ideas when it came to custom apps for our clients, the problem was diving into development. The time and money that would go into setting up all the hosting and development did not seem profitable for a team of our size, but Gadget changed that. They gave us the infrastructure we needed to hit the ground running, and there were a few core pieces that made all the difference.

Why Gadget?

Abstraction of Authentication

One of the main reasons we use Gadget is because it abstracts Shopify App authentication away. Prior to Shopify’s big update to documentation and investment into developer resources, solving authentication could sometimes be a bit of a headache. From docs that led you into an endless circular loop, to a lack of up-to-date app examples and references.
In came Gadget, a solution that had built the authentication layer for you. All we needed to do was focus on our core business logic and functionality with the comfort in knowing that auth was handled. No worries, no hassles, just a simple click & inclusion of a frontend library and we were good to go. It completely broke down the biggest barrier to entering Shopify App Development for us and let us get hands-on fast.

Instant Scalability

Our next thoughts in developing Shopify apps was, how will this scale? Are we building something secure enough? What if we have thousands of requests at once? How do we make sure we’re prepared for big spikes of traffic like Christmas or BFCM?

These days, we don’t worry about it at all, because we know the Gadget infrastructure can handle it. With instant scalability being managed in the background, we have confidence that any amount of traffic will be a walk in the park. Knowing that some of the team are ex-Shopify and have survived that level of traffic spikes before and have brought that learning to Gadget means they’re the ones worrying about scale, not us.
Focusing on writing performant code that will run efficiently is about the heaviest burden scalability brings.

Team & Community

As with any tool, there was an onboarding period where we learned not just how the tool worked but a new approach towards app development, and the support from the Gadget team was instrumental to this.

The right solution vs. the solution that works best for us

Too often we’ve seen solutions for clients developed based on what the Agency’s skill set contains - which often leads to less than perfect solutions. Gadget has unlocked more freedom and flexibility in our development process. The power it affords means we can speed up our development process, and it’s changed our approach to work too. We’re able to craft the ideal solution for our client, rather than a solution within our means. Our development process is no longer looking at how we can fit a full stack problem into a frontend solution, but rather how we can develop a solution that will ultimately satisfy the needs of our client in a way that makes the most sense.

Conclusion

We’re always looking for better ways to serve our clients, and Gadget was a game changer for us. From unlocking peace of mind around infrastructure to helping us unlock new possibilities, it’s changed the way we approach complex problems. If you haven’t used Gadget yet, we’d recommend you give it a whirl. Keep an eye out for case studies coming soon featuring some of the solutions we’ve been able to craft for our clients.