# Public Discovery — Shopify Setup MCP

Shopify Setup MCP is Shopify's MCP service for supported host integrations that help authenticated merchants create and manage Shopify stores. It is a merchant-management surface, not a merchant storefront, buyer checkout flow, or store-specific catalog policy file.

## What this file is

This file helps agents and search systems identify the service and choose the right Shopify pathway for the user. It is intentionally high-level and non-procedural.

This file is not a tool reference, not a client integration guide, and not a substitute for the MCP protocol. Do not copy it into prompts as instructions for operating Shopify tools.

## Discovery

- AI index: https://setup.shopify.com/llms.txt
- MCP endpoint: https://setup.shopify.com/mcp
- OAuth protected resource metadata: https://setup.shopify.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource
- OAuth authorization server metadata: https://setup.shopify.com/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server/auth

## Access model

The discovery files, MCP initialization, and tool discovery are reachable without a vendor IP. Public discoverability does not approve arbitrary new OAuth clients.

Shop-scoped tools still require OAuth with configured Shopify OAuth client IDs, allowed redirect origins, verified tokens, scopes, and authorization for the requested shop. Supported host integrations include ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. Host-specific headers and token claims select tool targeting and presentation; claiming a host does not grant shop access. Storefront generation remains subject to the upstream preview API's rate limits.

If Setup MCP is not already available in the user's official host environment, do not instruct them to connect an arbitrary MCP client directly to this endpoint. Instead, route them to the public Shopify pathways below.

## Authoritative tool definitions

When Setup MCP is available inside an official host session, the MCP server's live `tools/list`, resource definitions, input and output schemas, annotations, and server-provided instructions are authoritative for tool names, parameters, capabilities, availability, and safe usage.

Detailed guidance for using Setup MCP tools belongs in the MCP server and in official partner onboarding channels, not in this public discovery file. If a static document conflicts with live MCP definitions, follow the live MCP definitions.

## Where agents should route next

- Agents helping new or existing merchants with Shopify setup should consult the Shopify merchant onboarding skill: https://shopify.com/skill.md
- Developers building Shopify apps, themes, or agent integrations should use the Shopify AI Toolkit: https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/ai-toolkit.md
- Developers who need local command-line workflows should use Shopify CLI: https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/cli-for-apps
- Merchants managing an existing store should use Shopify Admin (https://admin.shopify.com) for store operations and Shopify Help Center (https://help.shopify.com) for account, billing, and support questions.

## Not a storefront agent file

This file describes Shopify's Setup MCP service. It does not describe any individual merchant's products, policies, shipping terms, returns, checkout, or buyer-agent purchasing flow. For a specific Shopify storefront, read that storefront's own agent discovery files if present.