Shopify's Helix is an internal tool that guides AI models as they rebuild the Shopify mobile app in native Swift and Kotlin from its React Native version. It breaks the rewrite into small changes that must pass review before later work builds on them. It uses the existing app as a reference, checks behavior with tests, compares screenshots of matching screen states and runs two independent code reviews. Failed checks send the AI agentAn AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.Full definition → back to repair its work. Engineer approval is required by default; optional autonomous operation retains the automated gates. Shopify's stated design choice is moving feedback into each increment, so reviewers receive a sequence of checked changes rather than one large rewrite.
Terms in this piece · Glossary
AI agent — An AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.
