Vercel Function Error: Cannot read 'Context' in @shopify/shopify-api

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Hi Vercel Community,

I’m hoping someone can help me with a persistent runtime error on the Hobby plan. My serverless function (api/submit.ts) fails to initialize, and I’m completely stuck after several days of troubleshooting. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Current Behavior

When the /api/submit endpoint is called, the function crashes instantly.

  • Browser Console: Shows a 500 (Internal Server Error).

  • Vercel Function Log: Shows a fatal error immediately on startup: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'Context'). This happens when the code tries to run Shopify.Context.initialize(...).

Expected Behavior

The function should initialize the @shopify/shopify-api library, find Shopify.Context, and proceed to run the endpoint logic (moderation, file upload, etc.).

Setup & Troubleshooting Steps Already Taken

Here is a summary of my setup and everything I’ve tried so far:

  1. Dependencies Verified: package.json is correctly set up with @shopify/shopify-api v10.0.0 (and openai, busboy, cors, etc.). Vercel’s build log confirms it installs them.

  2. Environment Variables: All 5 required keys (3 for Shopify, 1 for OpenAI, 1 for Shopify domain) are correctly configured in the Vercel project settings.

  3. Import Methods Tried: We have tried multiple ways to import and initialize the library (require, dynamic import(), various import paths for restResources), but they all result in the same TypeError.

  4. Isolation Test: We deployed a minimal test function with only require('@shopify/shopify-api') and a console.log(Shopify). The Vercel log showed Typeof Shopify: undefined. This confirms the library itself is not loading correctly in the Vercel runtime.

  5. New Project Test: I deployed the exact same codebase and environment variables to a brand new, clean Vercel project (nodejs-serverless-function-express-ten-hazel-19). The exact same initialization error occurred, ruling out a corrupted project state.

  • Project URLs:

    • https://nodejs-serverless-function-express-richs-projects-7a3c1949.vercel.app/

    • https://nodejs-serverless-function-express-ten-hazel-19.vercel.app/

  • Framework: Node.js / Express

  • Environment: Hobby Plan

  • Library: @shopify/shopify-api v10.0.0

Given that the error happens immediately, persists across new projects, and fails even when only requiring the library, this strongly suggests an incompatibility or module-loading issue between the Vercel Node.js runtime and how @shopify/shopify-api v10.0.0 is packaged.

Has anyone else experienced this TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'Context') when using @shopify/shopify-api on Vercel? Is there a known workaround?

Thank you!

2

If you’re having trouble deploying an Express app, this guide can help.

You can also ask v0 for suggestions tailored to your own project setup.

4

Hi @rich-9735! :slightly_smiling_face:

We haven’t heard back from you. If you’re still stuck, feel free to share any updates, logs, or additional context that might help us assist you better!

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