---
title: Initialize Vercel Shop
description: Create a Vercel Shop storefront from the template and optionally connect a Shopify store.
url: "https://shop-docs.labs.vercel.dev/docs/skills/init-vercel-shop"
docs_index: /llms.txt
lastUpdated: 2026-10-07
type: guide
---

> For an index of all documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt).

## How to use

The skill runs before a project exists, so install it for your user first:

```bash
pnpm dlx skills add vercel/shop --skill init-vercel-shop --global --yes
```

Then ask your agent to use the `init-vercel-shop` skill, or run it as a slash command in Claude Code:

```text
/init-vercel-shop
```

The skill creates the project with create-next-app and can connect an existing Shopify store with a public Storefront API token. The new project includes all Shop skills.

<div className="pb-6" />

# Initialize Vercel Shop

Ask for the target directory if the user did not provide one. Always pass it explicitly.

1. Inspect the target. If it already contains a Vercel Shop project, stop and use the relevant storefront skill instead. If it is a non-empty directory, ask for a different target rather than overwriting files.

2. Run:

   ```bash
   pnpm create next-app@latest <target-directory> --example https://github.com/vercel/shop
   ```

   The template pins pnpm 12 and Node.js 24.

3. Confirm the generated project contains `AGENTS.md`, `.agents/skills/`, `app/`, `components/`, `lib/shopify/`, and `package.json`.

4. Read the generated `AGENTS.md` before making further changes.

5. If dependency installation fails, keep the generated project and show the retry command to run from its root:

   ```bash
   pnpm install
   ```

6. Ask one optional follow-up: **Connect an existing Shopify store now?**

   If yes, ask only for the store's admin URL or `.myshopify.com` domain, then read [references/storefront-token.md](https://github.com/vercel/shop/blob/main/.agents/skills/init-vercel-shop/references/storefront-token.md) and follow its automated Shopify CLI flow. Try to reuse or create a public Storefront token before asking the user to visit the Headless channel.

   If no, finish with the normal environment setup as the next step.

Return the generated project path, whether a Shopify store was connected, and whether dependency installation needs a retry.

---

For a semantic overview of all documentation, see [/sitemap.md](/sitemap.md)

For an index of all available documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt)

For agent-facing discovery, including API and MCP surfaces, see [/agents.md](/agents.md)