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DotDev 2026 wrapped up this week.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend after my visa didn't come through in time.

While I was disappointed to miss it, something unexpected happened.

One of my X posts and one of our Shopify App Founders Edition newsletters were featured during Atlee and Katie's session at DotDev.

Seeing our work on stage, even though we weren't there in person, was a special moment.

A huge thank you to Atlee and Katie for the shoutout and for sharing our work with the Shopify developer community.

Rather than rushing to publish another "everything announced at DotDev" recap, I'd rather take a little more time to digest the announcements, watch the session recordings, and hear from founders who attended.

Next week's issue will be entirely dedicated to DotDev, but with a different perspective. Instead of covering every announcement, we'll focus on what actually matters for Shopify app founders and what deserves your attention over the next few months.

For today, we're bringing back one of our most popular formats.

Now, let’s get into the mailbag.

Founder Mailbag: 7 new questions Shopify app founders asked this month

Yes.

But don't leave it until the last minute.

August 14 is approaching quickly, and every migration takes longer than expected.

Even if you've already chosen a replacement platform, you'll still need time to:

If you haven't started yet, make this your priority this week.

If you missed our previous coverage, these two guides will help:

• Mantle Shutdown: What Shopify App Founders Need to Know

• The Complete Mantle Migration Playbook

The answer depends on what you're looking for.

If affiliate partnerships are becoming an important growth channel for your app, you need more than basic referral tracking.

You need something that's built around how Shopify apps actually grow.

Over the past month, we've been helping founders migrate away from Mantle.

That's also why we built PartnerDock.

It includes:

If you're evaluating your options, it's worth taking a look.

👉 https://getpartnerdock.com

This was one of the biggest App Store updates this month.

Shopify is introducing stricter enforcement around:

If your review strategy relies on rewards, unlocked features, or incentives, now is the time to stop.

Instead:

Long term, this is good for founders building genuinely great products.

A more trustworthy App Store benefits everyone.

No.

AI should improve your product, not become your product.

The founders who will benefit the most from Shopify's AI investments are the ones solving real merchant problems, not simply adding an AI button because everyone else is.

Instead of asking:

"How do I add AI?"

Ask:

"Which repetitive task can AI remove for my merchants?"

That's where the biggest opportunities are.

Focusing almost entirely on product.

A great product is essential.

But distribution is equally important.

The founders growing the fastest are investing in:

The best app doesn't always win.

The app merchants discover usually does.

There were plenty of announcements.

Rather than trying to absorb everything immediately, I'd focus on these themes:

We'll unpack each of these properly in next week's issue, with practical takeaways rather than a long list of release notes.

It's tempting to chase every announcement after a big event like DotDev.

I'm trying not to.

Instead, my priorities are simple.

Building consistently still beats reacting constantly.

Here are a few things worth keeping on your radar over the coming weeks.

Thirty-five issues ago, this newsletter started with a simple goal.

To help Shopify app founders build better products and better businesses.

Seeing our work featured on the DotDev stage, even though I couldn't be there in person, was a reminder that consistency compounds.

Thank you for reading every Wednesday, replying with thoughtful questions, sharing the newsletter with other founders, and helping grow this community.

I appreciate every one of you.

Till next time,
Best- Yuvraj Kewate

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