Shopify’s ecosystem is constantly evolving, and the latest change on the developer radar is the upcoming shutdown of the Global Catalog REST API. First deprecated in April 2026, this API will cease serving traffic on November 2 2026. If your app still relies on the old endpoints, you’ll need to migrate to the new Global Catalog MCP (Managed Commerce Platform) that implements the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). In this post we break down what’s changing, who needs to act, and provide a practical migration roadmap so you can keep your integrations running smoothly.
What’s Changing?
The Global Catalog REST API was Shopify’s original way for apps to query product, inventory, and pricing data across a merchant’s entire catalog. After a phased deprecation that began in April 2026, Shopify announced that the API will stop responding to any request after November 2 2026. In its place, the Global Catalog MCP offers the same data surface but over the Universal Commerce Protocol, a modern, GraphQL‑first approach that delivers faster performance, better pagination, and richer metadata. The old REST endpoints will return a 410 Gone response once the cutoff date passes.
Who Is Affected?
Two primary audiences need to take action:
• Developers – Any private, public, or custom app that makes HTTP calls to https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2024-10/global_catalog.json (or similar) will break after the deadline. Even if you’re only using the API for internal reporting, you’ll see errors.
• Merchants – While the shutdown is a developer concern, merchants feel the impact when their installed apps stop working. Unexpected “API unavailable” errors can disrupt inventory sync, pricing updates, or storefront widgets, leading to lost sales or data inconsistencies.
Why Migrate to Global Catalog MCP?
Beyond keeping your integrations alive, the MCP brings several tangible benefits:
Step‑by‑Step Migration Guide
Below is a concise roadmap you can follow to migrate safely:
1. Audit Your Codebase – Search for any global_catalog endpoint references. Note the HTTP methods, query parameters, and data transformations you currently perform.
2. Familiarize Yourself with UCP – Review the Universal Commerce Protocol documentation on shopify.dev. Pay special attention to authentication (OAuth scopes read_global_catalog and write_global_catalog) and the GraphQL schema definitions.
3. Scaffold a New GraphQL Client – If you’re using a REST client (Axios, fetch, etc.), add a GraphQL layer. Shopify provides a ready‑made client library for Node, Ruby, and Python.
4. Map Old Calls to New Queries – Translate each REST request into an equivalent GraphQL query. Below is a common example that replaces a GET request for product listings.
// Old REST request (deprecated)
GET https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2024-10/global_catalog.json?limit=50
// New GraphQL query (MCP)
POST https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-01/graphql.json
{
"query": """
query GetProducts($first: Int!) {
globalCatalog {
products(first: $first) {
edges {
node {
id
title
variants {
edges {
node { id sku inventoryQuantity }
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
""",
"variables": { "first": 50 }
}
5. Update Authentication – Ensure your app requests the new OAuth scopes. The token exchange flow remains the same, but you must add read_global_catalog (and write_global_catalog if you perform mutations).
6. Test in a Development Store – Deploy the updated code to a dev store, run the same use‑cases, and compare responses. Pay attention to pagination cursors (pageInfo { hasNextPage endCursor }) which differ from the old page parameter.
7. Deploy Gradually – If you support multiple merchants, roll out the MCP version behind a feature flag. Monitor error logs for any 410 responses from the legacy endpoint.
8. Decommission Legacy Calls – Once you’ve confirmed stability, remove all references to the Global Catalog REST API from your repo and CI pipelines.
Testing & Validation
Use Shopify’s GraphQL Explorer to run queries against a live store. Verify that the shape of the data matches what your app expects, especially nested fields like variants and inventoryQuantity. Consider writing integration tests that assert the presence of __typename fields – they help catch schema changes early.
Key Dates & Timeline
X-Shopify-Deprecation-Notice headers on every call.Conclusion & Call to Action
The Global Catalog REST API sunset is a clear signal that Shopify is moving toward a more unified, GraphQL‑centric commerce platform. By migrating to the Global Catalog MCP now, you safeguard your app’s reliability, unlock newer data capabilities, and position yourself for future Shopify innovations. Start the audit today, update your OAuth scopes, and schedule a rollout before the November 2 deadline. Need hands‑on help? Reach out to our Shopify development team or join the #shopify-dev community on Discord for real‑time guidance.
