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N-2 Water: React & Next.js E-Commerce with Shopify Integration

A production e-commerce platform built with React and Next.js, integrating Shopify APIs and supporting real-world marketing and SEO constraints.

Highlights

  • Built production e-commerce platform with React and Next.js
  • Integrated Shopify Storefront API for product data
  • Optimized for performance and SEO
  • Collaborated with non-technical stakeholders

Tech Stack

Next.jsReactTypeScriptShopify Storefront APITailwind CSSVercel / Cloudflare

Tags

Software ArchitectureWeb ArchitectureFrontend ArchitectureServer-Side Rendering (SSR)Static Site Generation (SSG)Performance Optimization (Web)SEO FundamentalsThird-Party API IntegrationTradeoff AnalysisRequirements InterpretationWeb DevelopmentE-CommerceReactNext.js

Overview

A production e-commerce platform built with React and Next.js, integrating Shopify APIs and operating under real business constraints. The goal was to build a performant, maintainable storefront that supported marketing, SEO, and customer workflows while integrating with existing e-commerce infrastructure.

Problem & Context

The goal was to build a performant, maintainable storefront that supported marketing, SEO, and customer workflows while integrating with existing e-commerce infrastructure. This project involved building a custom storefront to replace an outdated platform, requiring careful balance between technical excellence and business requirements.

Building a production e-commerce storefront requires balancing technical excellence with business requirements, marketing needs, and SEO constraints. The challenge was maintaining engineering standards while collaborating with non-technical stakeholders.

Constraints

  • Real users and live traffic requiring high reliability
  • SEO requirements for search engine visibility
  • Third-party API limitations (Shopify Storefront API)
  • Non-technical stakeholders needing to manage content
  • Performance requirements for fast page loads
  • Budget and timeline constraints

Approach & Design Decisions

I made architectural decisions around rendering strategies, API usage, and performance optimization, balancing development speed with long-term maintainability:

  1. Next.js Architecture: Leveraged server-side rendering and static generation for performance and SEO
  2. Shopify Integration: Used Shopify Storefront API for product data and inventory management
  3. TypeScript: Ensured type safety across the application
  4. Performance Optimization: Implemented code splitting, image optimization, and caching strategies
  5. SEO Considerations: Structured data, meta tags, and semantic HTML

Rendering Strategy: I chose Next.js with SSR/SSG because it provides better SEO than client-side only rendering, improved initial load performance, and flexibility to mix rendering strategies per page.

Shopify Integration: Using Shopify Storefront API rather than building a custom backend leveraged existing product management infrastructure, reduced maintenance burden, and enabled non-technical team members to manage products.

Implementation Highlights

  • Shopify Storefront API Integration: Seamless integration with Shopify for product data and inventory
  • SSR vs CSR Tradeoffs: Strategic use of server-side and client-side rendering based on page needs
  • Performance Optimization: Code splitting, image optimization, and caching strategies
  • SEO Implementation: Structured data, meta tags, and semantic HTML for search visibility
  • Stakeholder Collaboration: Effective communication with non-technical team members
// Code coming soon...
// Implementation details will be added here

Results & Evaluation

The site supports live users, marketing campaigns, and ongoing iteration, demonstrating production-level engineering. The platform successfully:

  • Replaced the outdated storefront with a modern, performant solution
  • Integrated seamlessly with Shopify for product management
  • Achieved strong SEO performance and search visibility
  • Maintained engineering quality while meeting business requirements

The project demonstrated ability to work with real-world constraints, balance technical and business needs, maintain production systems, and collaborate effectively with non-technical stakeholders.

Tradeoffs & Limitations

  • Platform Constraints: Platform constraints imposed by Shopify API limitations
  • Rapid Iteration vs. Technical Debt: Balancing rapid iteration with long-term maintainability
  • Third-Party Dependencies: Reliance on Shopify API for core functionality
  • Performance vs. Features: Tradeoffs between feature development and performance optimization

What I Learned

Production systems require technical judgment, communication, and the ability to work within constraints. Key insights:

  1. Production Systems: Maintaining live systems requires careful planning, monitoring, and iteration
  2. Stakeholder Communication: Translating technical decisions for non-technical audiences is essential
  3. Performance Optimization: Real-world performance requires ongoing measurement and optimization
  4. API Integration: Working with third-party APIs requires robust error handling, caching, and fallback strategies

The experience reinforced that production engineering is as much about communication and judgment as it is about technical skills.

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