---
title: "From Ruby to Node: Overhauling Shopify’s CLI for a Better Developer Experience"
description: "Shopify rewrote its unified CLI from Ruby to TypeScript running on Node after growing dependencies on Node tooling, Hydrogen’s preference for npm-managed dependencies, and a broader fit with web technologies. The rewrite aims to reduce system requirements, improve terminal consistency, and make contribution easier, while using a modular architecture of domain NPM packages built on @shopify/cli-kit. The team established shared code, UI, convention, and principle foundations, addressed cross-OS support, used TypeScript for stronger contracts, and applied Cucumber for end-to-end testing. The Node CLI unified and streamlined app development and added extensibility such as functions, but Theme commands still use Ruby and removing that dependency remains future work."
---

# From Ruby to Node: Overhauling Shopify’s CLI for a Better Developer Experience

[Shopify](https://yomu.fyi/company/shopify) · 2023-10-18 · Jan 10, 2023

**Type:** Problem & solution

## Summary

Shopify rewrote its unified CLI from Ruby to TypeScript running on Node after growing dependencies on Node tooling, Hydrogen’s preference for npm-managed dependencies, and a broader fit with web technologies. The rewrite aims to reduce system requirements, improve terminal consistency, and make contribution easier, while using a modular architecture of domain NPM packages built on @shopify/cli-kit. The team established shared code, UI, convention, and principle foundations, addressed cross-OS support, used TypeScript for stronger contracts, and applied Cucumber for end-to-end testing. The Node CLI unified and streamlined app development and added extensibility such as functions, but Theme commands still use Ruby and removing that dependency remains future work.

## Context

The Ruby-based CLI had become less consistent for developers as Shopify added Theme, App, Hydrogen, and UI-extension workflows. Its Node tooling dependencies increased system requirements, while Hydrogen developers expected npm install to provide project dependencies without a separate Ruby runtime. A separate Hydrogen CLI could also have undermined the effort to provide one consistent CLI across the platform.

## Approach / What changed

Shopify rewrote the CLI in TypeScript for Node, organizing platform domains into NPM packages built on the shared @shopify/cli-kit foundation. The team added shared code and UI patterns, conventions, principles, static analysis rules, cross-OS support practices, TypeScript typing, Cucumber end-to-end tests, and an oclif-based plugin architecture. Theme commands still use the Ruby implementation while the team works to remove that dependency.

## Takeaways

- Node’s module system supports multiple versions of the same transitive package, enabling modular domain packages without the conflicts Shopify associated with Ruby’s approach.
- The shared @shopify/cli-kit package, Ink-based UI components, conventions, and custom ESLint rules were used to align contributions and create consistent command experiences.
- Oclif supplied declarative command APIs, generated help documentation, a plugin system, and hooks that helped keep CLI foundations separate from App, Theme, and Hydrogen plugins.

**Tags:** [Architecture](https://yomu.fyi/topic/architecture), [Developer Experience](https://yomu.fyi/topic/developer-experience), [Testing](https://yomu.fyi/topic/testing), [TypeScript](https://yomu.fyi/topic/typescript)

- Source: [Shopify](https://shopify.engineering/overhauling-shopify-cli-for-a-better-developer-experience)
- Source URL: https://shopify.engineering/overhauling-shopify-cli-for-a-better-developer-experience
- Ingested by Yomu: 2026-08-30T13:36:22.352Z

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