Shopware 6 Development

Shopware tends to suit retailers who sell in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, have a sizeable or complex catalogue, need B2B features or custom pricing logic, or must connect the shop to back-office systems. For a small shop with a few products, a simpler platform may be cheaper to run, and we will tell you that. Our wider services include other e-commerce platforms, so the recommendation is based on your requirements.

Shopware 6 provides two HTTP APIs that exchange JSON. The Admin API gives structured access to core business entities such as products, orders, customers, media and configuration, and is intended for backend integrations, data synchronisation and system-to-system communication; its Sync API handles bulk operations such as mass imports. The Store API is the customer-facing side for product browsing, cart, checkout and customer accounts, and lets headless frontends such as single-page apps or native apps use Shopware functions over HTTP. This is what makes integration work with an ERP or PIM predictable: your systems talk to documented endpoints rather than to the database.

Shopware offers two routes for custom functions. Apps, introduced with Shopware 6.4.0.0, run outside the core process, are notified of events through webhooks and work with shop data through the Admin API. Plugins run inside the core process and have direct database access, and they are not supported on Shopware Cloud. We choose between them by what you need and where the shop is hosted: an app is usually the safer choice for a service that talks to an external system, while deep changes to shop behaviour may call for a plugin.

Every extension also has to survive updates. Shopware's upgrade guide notes that upgrade effort depends on the installation: heavy custom code increases it, and a shop without custom code but with many store plugins (the guide's example is 60) can be just as complex. It advises extension developers to avoid internal APIs and to track deprecations continuously. We follow that, document what we build and keep custom logic separate from the core, so another team can take over later.

If you sell to consumers in Germany, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) covers e-commerce services provided to consumers after 28 June 2025. The Bundesfachstelle Barrierefreiheit names online shops as an example and publishes background guidance for them, and we check theme, checkout and forms against the requirements; see also our accessibility services. The law exempts micro-enterprises that provide services from these requirements; whether that applies to you is a legal question. If your business is established in Germany, § 5 DDG also requires certain provider details to be easy to recognise, directly accessible and permanently available. We implement what you provide; the legal assessment stays with your adviser.

A typical project runs through requirements and catalogue analysis, design, build, data import, integration testing, launch and a short stabilisation phase. Costs depend on the catalogue, the number of integrations and the custom functions, so we quote on request. For comparison, entry-level websites start from 300 € excl. VAT, see pricing. We do not list reference shops here; ask about real examples via references, or request a quote and contact us with your requirements.

Do you only work with Shopware?

No. We also work with other e-commerce platforms, and we recommend the platform that suits your requirements.

Can Shopware connect to my ERP?

The Admin API is meant for backend integrations and data synchronisation with external systems, and its Sync API handles bulk operations such as mass imports. The effort depends on your ERP.

App or plugin?

Apps run outside the core, receive events via webhooks and use the Admin API. Plugins run inside the core with direct database access and are not supported on Shopware Cloud. We choose by need.

Can I go headless?

Yes, the Store API supports headless frontends. It adds effort, so we recommend it only when it pays off.

What does it cost?

The price follows the size of your catalogue, the number of system connections and any special functions, and we put it in a quote on request.