We required replication of an existing Shopify Custom App. We do not have access to the keys and therefore require rebuild/redefinition of

1. Webhooks
2. Metafields/MetaObjects

The ability to re-generate these under a new app is possible.

Questions:

1. When un-installing a custom app in Shopify do the webhook subscriptions and all meta fields get removed with the uninstallation?
2. How does this affect existing data in the system (e.g. metafield data that has been stored)

Concerns: If we remove the app then what happens to the metafields and associated data from existing orders If the data stays then how does a new app access the data since it's in a different namespace...?

UPDATE: Custom App should have their own cleanup procedure: /t/metafields-metaobjects-definitions-with-reserved-namespace-left-after-app-uninstall/2322

After some testing it seems that a separate app that defines the same metafields will create a duplicate in different namespace.

The question still remains:

If a custom app removes meta definitions what happens to the data associated to those definitions in Shopify. Does it persist (so if the app were to 'redefine' the metafields the data would re-appear) or get removed.

We required replication of an existing Shopify Custom App. We do not have access to the keys and therefore require rebuild/redefinition of

1. Webhooks
2. Metafields/MetaObjects

The ability to re-generate these under a new app is possible.

Questions:

1. When un-installing a custom app in Shopify do the webhook subscriptions and all meta fields get removed with the uninstallation?
2. How does this affect existing data in the system (e.g. metafield data that has been stored)

Concerns: If we remove the app then what happens to the metafields and associated data from existing orders If the data stays then how does a new app access the data since it's in a different namespace...?

UPDATE: Custom App should have their own cleanup procedure: https://community.shopify.dev/t/metafields-metaobjects-definitions-with-reserved-namespace-left-after-app-uninstall/2322

After some testing it seems that a separate app that defines the same metafields will create a duplicate in different namespace.

The question still remains:

If a custom app removes meta definitions what happens to the data associated to those definitions in Shopify. Does it persist (so if the app were to 'redefine' the metafields the data would re-appear) or get removed.

• shopify
• metadata
• shopify-app
• shopify-api

1 Answer 1

When you uninstall a custom app in Shopify, the webhooks created by that app are removed. However, Metafields/MetaObjects persist even after the app is uninstalled.

If you reinstall the app, the webhooks are recreated, and the old Metafields/MetaObjects remain accessible to the shop. However, if the shop tries to create new Metafields/MetaObjects with the same name, an error will throw.

Additionally, if those Metafields/MetaObjects are owned by the shop, they will be removed upon uninstallation.