> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://spreecommerce.org/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a variant

> Creates a new variant for a product. Supports nested prices and stock items.

Option types and values are auto-created if they don't exist.
Prices are upserted by currency. Stock items are upserted by stock location.


**Required scope:** `write_products` (for API-key authentication).



## OpenAPI

````yaml /api-reference/admin.yaml post /api/v3/admin/products/{product_id}/variants
openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: Admin API
  contact:
    name: Spree Commerce
    url: https://spreecommerce.org
    email: hello@spreecommerce.org
  description: >
    Spree Admin API v3 - Administrative API for managing products, orders, and
    store settings.


    ## Authentication


    The Admin API requires a secret API key passed in the `x-spree-api-key`
    header.

    Secret API keys can be generated in the Spree admin dashboard.


    ## Response Format


    All responses are JSON. List endpoints return paginated responses with
    `data` and `meta` keys.

    Single resource endpoints return a flat JSON object.


    ## Resource IDs


    Every resource is identified by an opaque string ID (e.g. `prod_86Rf07xd4z`,

    `variant_k5nR8xLq`, `or_UkLWZg9DAJ`). Use these IDs everywhere — URL paths,

    request bodies, and Ransack filters all accept them directly.


    ## Error Handling


    Errors return a consistent format:

    ```json

    {
      "error": {
        "code": "validation_error",
        "message": "Validation failed",
        "details": { "name": ["can't be blank"] }
      }
    }

    ```
  version: v3
servers:
  - url: http://{defaultHost}
    variables:
      defaultHost:
        default: localhost:3000
security: []
tags:
  - name: Authentication
    description: Admin user authentication
  - name: Product Catalog
    description: Products, variants, and option types
  - name: Orders
    description: >-
      Order management — orders, items, payments, fulfillments, refunds, gift
      cards, store credits
  - name: Customers
    description: Customer management — profiles, addresses, store credits, credit cards
  - name: Configuration
    description: Store configuration — payment methods, tag autocomplete
paths:
  /api/v3/admin/products/{product_id}/variants:
    post:
      tags:
        - Product Catalog
      summary: Create a variant
      description: >-
        Creates a new variant for a product. Supports nested prices and stock
        items.


        Option types and values are auto-created if they don't exist.

        Prices are upserted by currency. Stock items are upserted by stock
        location.



        **Required scope:** `write_products` (for API-key authentication).
      parameters:
        - name: x-spree-api-key
          in: header
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
        - name: Authorization
          in: header
          required: true
          description: Bearer token for admin authentication
          schema:
            type: string
        - name: product_id
          in: path
          required: true
          description: Product ID
          schema:
            type: string
      requestBody:
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              type: object
              properties:
                sku:
                  type: string
                  example: SKU-001
                price:
                  type: number
                  example: 29.99
                compare_at_price:
                  type: number
                  example: 39.99
                cost_price:
                  type: number
                  example: 10
                cost_currency:
                  type: string
                  example: USD
                weight:
                  type: number
                height:
                  type: number
                width:
                  type: number
                depth:
                  type: number
                weight_unit:
                  type: string
                dimensions_unit:
                  type: string
                track_inventory:
                  type: boolean
                tax_category_id:
                  type: string
                options:
                  type: array
                  description: >-
                    One pair per option type the variant participates in (e.g.
                    size + color). Option types and values are auto-created if
                    missing.
                  items:
                    type: object
                    required:
                      - name
                      - value
                    properties:
                      name:
                        type: string
                        example: size
                      value:
                        type: string
                        example: Small
                position:
                  type: integer
                barcode:
                  type: string
                prices:
                  type: array
                  description: Per-currency prices. Upserted by currency.
                  items:
                    type: object
                    required:
                      - currency
                      - amount
                    properties:
                      currency:
                        type: string
                        example: USD
                      amount:
                        type: number
                        example: 29.99
                      compare_at_amount:
                        type: number
                        example: 39.99
                stock_items:
                  type: array
                  description: Per-stock-location inventory. Upserted by stock_location_id.
                  items:
                    type: object
                    required:
                      - stock_location_id
                      - count_on_hand
                    properties:
                      stock_location_id:
                        type: string
                        description: Stock location ID (e.g. sloc_xxx)
                      count_on_hand:
                        type: integer
                        example: 50
                      backorderable:
                        type: boolean
      responses:
        '201':
          description: variant created
          content:
            application/json:
              example:
                id: variant_EfhxLZ9ck8
                product_id: prod_UkLWZg9DAJ
                sku: NEW-SKU-001
                options_text: 'Size: XL'
                track_inventory: true
                media_count: 0
                thumbnail_url: null
                purchasable: false
                in_stock: false
                backorderable: false
                weight: 0
                height: null
                width: null
                depth: null
                price:
                  id: price_EfhxLZ9ck8
                  amount: '24.99'
                  amount_in_cents: 2499
                  compare_at_amount: null
                  compare_at_amount_in_cents: null
                  currency: USD
                  display_amount: $24.99
                  display_compare_at_amount: null
                  price_list_id: null
                original_price: null
                option_values:
                  - id: optval_gbHJdmfrXB
                    option_type_id: opt_gbHJdmfrXB
                    name: xl
                    label: XL
                    position: 1
                    color_code: null
                    option_type_name: size
                    option_type_label: Size
                    image_url: null
                    metadata: {}
                    created_at: '2026-05-13T22:26:26.714Z'
                    updated_at: '2026-05-13T22:26:26.714Z'
                metadata: {}
                position: 3
                cost_price: null
                cost_currency: USD
                barcode: null
                weight_unit: lb
                dimensions_unit: null
                deleted_at: null
                created_at: '2026-05-13T22:26:26.719Z'
                updated_at: '2026-05-13T22:26:26.720Z'
                tax_category_id: taxcat_UkLWZg9DAJ
                available_stock: 0
                reserved_quantity: 0
                total_on_hand: 0
                product_name: Product 513260
        '422':
          description: validation error
          content:
            application/json:
              example:
                error:
                  code: validation_error
                  message: Option value variants can't be blank
                  details:
                    option_value_variants:
                      - can't be blank
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
      security:
        - api_key: []
          bearer_auth: []
      x-codeSamples:
        - lang: javascript
          label: Spree Admin SDK
          source: >-
            import { createAdminClient } from '@spree/admin-sdk'


            const client = createAdminClient({
              baseUrl: 'https://your-store.com',
              secretKey: 'sk_xxx',
            })


            const variant = await
            client.products.variants.create('prod_86Rf07xd4z', {
              sku: 'TSHIRT-L-NAVY',
              options: [
                { name: 'size', value: 'Large' },
                { name: 'color', value: 'navy' },
              ],
              prices: [
                { currency: 'USD', amount: 29.99, compare_at_amount: 34.99 },
                { currency: 'EUR', amount: 27.99 },
              ],
              stock_items: [
                { stock_location_id: 'sloc_UkLWZg9DAJ', count_on_hand: 25 },
              ],
            })
components:
  schemas:
    ErrorResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          properties:
            code:
              type: string
              example: record_not_found
            message:
              type: string
              example: Record not found
            details:
              type: object
              description: Field-specific validation errors
              nullable: true
              example:
                name:
                  - is too short
                  - is required
                email:
                  - is invalid
          required:
            - code
            - message
      required:
        - error
      example:
        error:
          code: validation_error
          message: Validation failed
          details:
            name:
              - is too short
            email:
              - is invalid
  securitySchemes:
    api_key:
      type: apiKey
      name: x-spree-api-key
      in: header
      description: Secret API key for admin access
    bearer_auth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      bearerFormat: JWT
      description: JWT token for admin user authentication

````