Shopify's Online Store 2.0 is the architecture modern Shopify themes are built on. If you buy or customize a theme, a few of its ideas will shape how much you can do without a developer.
Sections on every page
In older themes, the home page was flexible but product, collection and other pages were largely fixed. Online Store 2.0 lets you add, remove and reorder sections on any page in the theme editor. A product page can have a size guide section, a video, reviews and a related-products block in the order you choose.
JSON templates
Under the hood, pages are described by JSON templates that list which sections appear and in what order. That is why the theme editor can rearrange them without code. For you it means:
- Changes to layout are stored as settings, not edits to code.
- You can create alternate templates, for example a different product page for gift cards.
- A theme that still uses older Liquid templates for some pages will not offer the same flexibility.
App blocks
Apps can add blocks that you place inside sections from the editor. This is cleaner than apps pasting code into the theme files. Removing an app is also easier, since you remove the block rather than hunting for leftover snippets.
Metafields and dynamic sources
Metafields are extra fields you define for products, collections and other objects, for example "Material" or "Care instructions". Online Store 2.0 themes can connect a section's text or image to a metafield through dynamic sources, so product-specific content appears without editing the template.
What to check when choosing a theme
- Does the theme page say it is built for Online Store 2.0?
- Are sections available on the pages you care about most, especially product and collection?
- Does it offer the product features you need, such as filtering, swatches and a cart drawer? Check the feature list rather than assuming.
- How does the live demo feel on mobile, where most shoppers browse?
Installing and customizing safely
Follow the steps in our guide to installing a Shopify theme: upload the theme .zip under Online Store → Themes, customize it while it is unpublished, preview on desktop and mobile, then publish. Keep your previous theme in the library until you are sure.
Before you publish, check your navigation, collections, policies and checkout settings. A theme displays what your store contains, so empty collections and missing policies will show.
When code is still needed
The editor covers most layout work. Custom behaviour, unusual product configurators and deeper integrations still need development. Our Shopify development service is quoted for your project.