Hi all,
Are you interested in becoming a Shopify developer but unsure where to begin? I’ve been in the Shopify development space for a few years now working as a freelancer with several merchants, and I figured I would create a post with some tips that can help beginners break into this field. I have also created a video on the topic which I just posted which can be found here:
1. Master the Fundamentals: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Before diving into Shopify-specific development, it’s crucial to be proficient in these three core technologies:
- HTML gives structure to web pages.
- CSS styles them, making them visually appealing.
- JavaScript adds dynamic interactions, allowing for more complex functionality on your site.
If you are completely new to web development, my recommendation here would be to checkout www.theodinproject.com. Work through their “Foundations” course at a bare minimum before touching Liquid at all.
2. Learn Liquid: Shopify’s Templating Language
Once you’ve got the basics of web development down, it’s time to learn Liquid, Shopify’s own templating language. Liquid is a tool that dynamically renders content using the data from your Shopify store. Think of it like HTML on steroids – but it’s geared towards eCommerce.
The best part? Shopify provides fantastic documentation for Liquid, and this should be your go-to resource. Focus on learning how Liquid loops, filters, and objects work, as these are the core components for customizing Shopify themes.
The best choice to get up & running here would be Shopify’s own basic Liquid tutorial.
3. Work with the Shopify Admin and Themes
As a developer, you’ll spend a lot of time in the Shopify Admin panel. Familiarize yourself with the dashboard, product pages, and theme customization features. The sooner you understand how the admin panel interacts with the code you write, the faster you’ll be able to debug and refine your projects.
Additionally, understanding Shopify’s theme architecture is crucial. Shopify themes are made up of several key folders. See the below list for what each folder does. Start by signing up for a Shopify Partner Account & setting up a development store and tinkering with these theme files. You can experiment with Shopify’s free themes and explore how Liquid, JavaScript, and CSS work together in a live environment.
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Assets Folder:
- This is where all the static files like images, JavaScript, CSS, fonts, and media are stored. These files are crucial for styling and providing functionality to your theme. JavaScript and CSS files housed here bring interactivity and design to your Shopify store.
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Layout Folder:
- The layout folder contains files that define the global structure of your site, such as theme.liquid. This file wraps around every page of your store, allowing you to manage elements like the header, footer, and meta tags that appear across the entire site.
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Templates Folder:
- This folder contains all the files used to define specific types of pages like product, collection, blog, or cart pages. Shopify uses these templates to generate different views of your store. You typically won’t edit these directly—instead, you’d modify these pages using the Sections folder.
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Sections Folder:
- Sections house the reusable blocks of content that Shopify introduced in Online Store 2.0. These allow you to define customizable areas of your theme that users can drag and drop on the storefront. You’ll use this folder to add features like customizable homepage sections, product details, and more.
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Snippets Folder:
- Snippets contain small, reusable pieces of Liquid code that are included in multiple locations across the theme. For example, you might store code for a product review widget here, which can then be used on multiple product pages.
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Config Folder:
- This folder holds settings_schema.json, a file that defines settings for your theme, allowing users to change theme elements through the Shopify admin interface (like changing fonts, colors, etc.).
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Locales Folder:
- This folder contains the translation files for your theme. If you plan on supporting multiple languages in your Shopify store, this is where you’ll store the translations for your theme’s text content
4. Practice Coding in Real Projects
Mastering the Shopify platform takes practice, practice & more practice. Once you have a solid grasp on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Liquid, try to build simple Shopify stores or clone existing ones for practice. This will give you real-world experience and make you comfortable with debugging, theme customization, and solving challenges you’ll encounter in actual projects.
Feel free to drop any questions below. I’m happy to answer any questions, and good luck on your journey into Shopify development!
- Will