---
title: Wildcard Account | Shopware Community Hub
description: >-
  Learn about Shopware wildcard environments and how to effectively use them for
  development and testing purposes.
canonical_url: 'https://hub.shopware.com/learn/unit/solution-architect-wildcard-account'
---

# Wildcard Account

<LearningObjectives>

- Understand what **wildcard environments** are and their purpose.
- Learn how to **create and manage** wildcard environments.
- Know how to a**dd extensions** to wildcard instances.
- Understand the **setup process** for wildcard installations.
- Recognize the **limitations and best practices** for using wildcard environments.

<Callout>

The wildcards are one of the advantages for Shopware Partners. If you don't have a partnership, you can book time-limited test licenses through the [Shopware Store](https://store.shopware.com/en/).

</Callout>

</LearningObjectives>

# Wildcard Environments

## What is a Wildcard Environment?

Wildcard environments provide a powerful way to create and configure development environments for customer projects, including test licenses. They allow you to:

- Add all necessary extensions to your installation.

- Present demos to customers without purchasing licenses in advance.

- Test and develop solutions in a controlled environment.

## Creating a Wildcard Environment

To create a wildcard environment:

1. Access your Partner area under [Wildcard environment](https://account.shopware.com/partner/wildcardenvironments).

2. Click "Create a Wildcard Environment".

3. Select your custom domain (e.g., myname.com).

4. Contact your partner manager to activate the custom domain.

## Managing Wildcard Instances

For each project:

1. Use the "Create wildcard instance" button.

2. Specify a project name and desired Shopware version.

3. The subdomain will be composed as: project-name.your-domain.com.

Important naming requirements:

- Subdomains must contain one of: test, dev, localhost, demo, or wildcard.

- Recommended format: dev.myname.com or project-dev.myname.com.

## Adding Extensions

To add extensions to a wildcard instance:

1. Select the instance or click the three dots behind the project name.

2. Choose "Details".

3. Click "Add licence" and select desired extensions.

4. Save the changes.

For features of the Shopware plans:

- Install the "Shopware Commercial" plugin.

- This provides access to all plan features by default.

## Important Limitations

- Wildcard environments cannot be used as live environments.

- They cannot be used as customer domain environments.

- They are strictly for development, testing, and demonstration purposes.

- All installations must be on your own server, not the customer's server.

## Best Practices

1. Use clear naming conventions for instances.

2. Keep track of which extensions are added to each instance.

3. Regularly update and maintain your wildcard environments.

4. Use wildcard environments for development and testing only.

5. Ensure proper documentation of your wildcard setup for team members.