New & Improved: DX Team Launches Updated Developer Portal
We’re excited to announce the release of our new and much improved Developer Portal, redesigned from the ground up to make it easier, faster, and more intuitive for developers to manage and merchandise their apps on BigCommerce.
For those of you who interact with the portal regularly, these updates are designed to eliminate friction, clarify workflows, and speed up the process of getting apps to market.
What Is the Developer Portal?
The Developer Portal (link to legacy portal) - often referred to as “DevTools” - is where app developers create, manage, and merchandise both private apps and those that appear in the BigCommerce App Marketplace. Whether you're a partner with a public app listing or a merchant building something custom, the portal is your central workspace for everything app-related.
What's New in the Updated Portal?
The updated Developer Portal introduces several major enhancements based on developer feedback, usability testing, and a broader UX overhaul. These changes are focused on removing guesswork and helping developers move faster with more confidence.
Read on, or watch the video below of our Senior Product Designer over Developer Experience, Georgia Hough, digging in to the new portal!
🟢 Streamlined Navigation
A restructured layout within app management with clearly defined sections—such as App Information, OAuth Scopes, and Listing information—makes it easier to understand what information needs your attention at different phases of your app journey.
What changed?
The old developer portal app management UI used a stepper interface to guide a developer through the app building process, yet there is typically not a linear path to building and publishing an app. We’ve added tabs and grouped content based on the build phase so you can easily find what you need regardless of your process.
🟢 Improved App Management
Apps are now displayed with clearer statuses (e.g., "Draft", "Published", "Pending Review") and versioning information. Developers can more easily track progress, make updates, and ensure app data is up to date.
What changed?
Previously, app status and versioning were either buried or unclear. The updated portal introduces a dashboard-style view with app cards, icons for status, and “last modified” information.
🟢 Enhanced OAuth Scope Handling
OAuth scopes are now grouped logically and include inline explanations. This makes it easier to request only what your app truly needs—helping speed up approvals and increasing merchant trust. We’ve also added the option for “Modify all” which allows for maximum access while your app is in build/test mode.
What changed?
Before, all scopes were presented in one long list, making it hard to know which ones were needed. The new experience groups scopes by API area (e.g., Orders, Customers), and each scope now includes a plain-language explanation and rationale for merchant consent.
🟡 (Coming soon!) Marketplace Listing Preview
For public apps, you can now preview your App Marketplace listing in real time—including logo, descriptions, categories, pricing, and support info—so you know exactly how it will appear to merchants.
What is changing?
The new listing editor will update in real time, allowing live previews with mock merchant views. This will include mobile and desktop previews and highlights missing required fields before submission.
How Do I Get Started Using the New Developer Portal?
The new Developer Portal is available now and is currently in beta. It will eventually replace the existing legacy UI and become the default experience for all users.
This launch is all about giving BigCommerce developers a faster, clearer, and more modern way to build and scale apps. Every improvement was made with your workflow in mind—from reducing cognitive load to increasing submission confidence.
Want to explore the new experience? You can begin using the updated portal immediately—no migration or manual action is required. We’ll notify all users in the weeks prior to the official switch to the new experience.
Feel free to switch back and forth for now. The new version will become the default experience soon.
We can’t wait to hear what you think!