Polaris UI Anti-Patterns (v12+)

A field guide to the 20 most common ways Shopify app teams break the Polaris contract — and the exact fix for each. Use this when reviewing a PR, writing a new screen, or auditing an app pre-submission for Built for Shopify.

The principle behind every rule: Shopify admin is a shared design surface. Merchants have already learned its patterns. The closer your app feels to the rest of admin, the higher your install-to-activation rate. The further you drift, the more your app feels like a third-party graft — and the more support tickets you get from confused merchants.

1. When to use

Pull this skill in when you are: