# Shopify's journey to faster breadth-first GraphQL execution

DevFeed: [Shopify's journey to faster breadth-first GraphQL execution](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/shopify-s-journey-to-faster-breadth-first-graphql-execution-1386.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://shopify.engineering/faster-breadth-first-graphql-execution>)

Author: Greg MacWilliam

Published: 2026-03-12T12:19:08Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering.md>), [Shopify Engineering - Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering-shopify-engineering.md>)

Topics: [GraphQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/graphql.md>), [Shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/shopify.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data.md>), [Traces](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/traces.md>)

Tags: [apis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/apis.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data.md>), [shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/shopify.md>), [technology](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/technology.md>), [traces](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/traces.md>)

## AI overview

Shopify describes how its GraphQL Cardinal engine replaces conventional depth-first execution with breadth-first field resolution. The approach addresses resolver overhead in deeply nested, high-cardinality queries and reportedly delivers up to 15x faster execution with 90% less memory use for large list queries.

## Source excerpt

Conventional GraphQL execution uses depth-first traversal that incurs many hidden costs. We questioned why, rewrote it in a faster breadth-first manner, and saw dramatic results.