# Symph Development Tips

*Collected from Symph team experience*

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## GCP Deployment Policy (from Raven - 2026-02-10)

**🚨 Cloud Run is for PRODUCTION only.**

- Do NOT deploy dev/staging apps to Cloud Run
- Non-prod deployments should use the VPS + Caddy setup (like other Symph apps)
- Cloud Run = production, period

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## Shopify Theme Development Tips

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## Version Control & Deployment (from Ian - 2026-02-10)

**Always connect your Shopify theme to a GitHub repo.**

### Workflow:
1. Connect `main` branch to a **[STAGING]** theme preview in Shopify
2. Develop and test on staging
3. When ready to deploy: **duplicate the staging theme and publish**
4. This gives you easy rollback — previous version is still there

### Why not just publish directly?
- GitHub ↔ Shopify sync is **inconsistent** — sometimes updates, sometimes doesn't
- Duplicating before publish ensures you have a working rollback point
- Never deploy straight to production without a safety net

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*Add more tips below as the team shares them*
