A Shopify private app is a type of app that allows a merchant to access the Shopify API using their API credentials. This differs from a public app, which uses a shared API key and is listed in the Shopify App Store for other merchants to install.
Private apps are typically used for custom integrations with a specific merchant’s store and are not intended for use by other businesses. They can be created by a developer or by the merchant themselves using the Shopify App CLI.
With a private app, the merchant can use the API to perform various tasks such as managing products, processing orders, and updating customer information.