What are the Best Practices for using JS libraries when submitting to Theme Store?

Technical Q&A
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Topic summary

Clarification sought on how to include JavaScript libraries in a Shopify theme while meeting Theme Store requirements that “scripts must be hosted on Shopify’s servers, with the exception of approved third-party libraries.”

Key questions:

  • Are CDN-hosted libraries (e.g., via jsDelivr) permitted under the “approved third-party” exception?
  • What are best practices for adding a specific library (example: SplideJS) in a Theme Store–compliant way?

Recent updates:

  • Follow-up requests for a solution were made.
  • No definitive answer or official guidance was provided in the thread.

Status and outcomes:

  • No resolution. The core compliance question about CDN usage and the approved process for including libraries like SplideJS remains unanswered.

Notes:

  • No code snippets or attachments are central to understanding this discussion.
Summarized with AI on December 19. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hello,

I am currently working on my very first Shopify theme, and I would appreciate some clarification on the proper implementation of JavaScript libraries to ensure compliance with the Shopify Theme Store’s requirements.

Per the Theme Store Requirements, any scripts included in a theme’s code “must be hosted on Shopify’s servers, with the exception of approved third-party libraries.”

Does this mean that I cannot include libraries via a CDN such as jsDeliver?

Let’s assume, for example, that I’d like to add SplideJS to a theme. What are the best practices and theme-store-approved methods for doing so?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

1 Like
2

Hi @rowclayt , did you get any solutions on that? Please let me know.

3

Hi, @Md_Saad - I still have not received a straightforward answer on this. How about you?