# Overview

Shopify provides a powerful API that enables developers to build a wide range
of applications and tools for merchants. Some examples of what you can build
using the Shopify API include:

- Merchant tools: tools that help merchants manage their stores, such as order
  management, product administration, and reporting
- E-commerce applications: applications that enable merchants to sell their
  products online, such as shopping carts, product catalogs, and order
  management
- Integration tools: tools that helps integrate Shopify with other systems,
  such as accounting, inventory, and shipping