A client running Shopify wants to sync customer data with an external system - could be a CRM, a data warehouse, a marketing platform. The project is MVP-scope: prove the concept works, validate the data model, commit more investment once the pilot succeeds.

The architecture question: what's the simplest connection pattern that gets customer data flowing both directions without over-engineering before the MVP validates?

Four common choices

A. Custom app built from scratch. Shopify CLI, OAuth, dedicated backend, REST/GraphQL calls. Full control, but a real multi-week build before any data moves.

B. Shopify Flow with built-in connectors. Merchant-configurable, low-code, handles common event-driven flows. Limited to what Flow supports natively.