Shopify is a well known e-commerce platform that can help you grow your e commerce business. In fact, it’s one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the world. You might have already heard about Shopify if you’re thinking about selling online.
But just because it’s easy to use doesn’t mean it’s simple to design or develop for. It takes more than just knowing how to code — you need to understand how people shop and what they want from a shopping experience.
To help you get started with Shopify development, here are eight best practices for designing and developing for the platform:
1. Don’t use third-party templates
Shopify has a robust library of free templates that are available as soon as you sign up for an account. You can use these templates as-is or modify them as needed. The downside is that these templates only have built-in styling for a specific theme, so they don’t have much flexibility when it comes to customizing your store’s look and feel.
2. Use custom CSS instead of HTML tweaks
This one may sound obvious, but most people make this mistake at least once when they’re getting started with Shopify development. When designing your page, try custom CSS instead of HTML tweaks.
It’s possible that some of your customers may want some specific information on their websites such as contact numbers, addresses or social media profiles. In such cases, it’s better to use custom HTML templates instead of using readymade ones so that they can include any additional information they want on their pages without any hassle.
3. Always use the latest version of the API
You should always be using the latest version of the API for two main reasons: firstly, it’s what merchants are using; secondly, it will have been tested against all previous versions so there shouldn’t be any breaking changes in newer versions that don’t work with older versions (although in rare cases this does happen).
4. Use Shopify’s guides, videos, and documentation to learn more about Shopify development
Shopify has some great documentation that will help you learn how to develop on Shopify. There are also many other resources available online that can help you learn how to code and build an app for Shopify. You can check many Youtube channels and blog posts or XYZ company to learn Shopify development if you’re interested in learning more about this topic!
5. Don’t reinvent the wheel — use existing code bases as much as possible
Shopify already has thousands of developers who have built applications that can solve common problems, like inventory management or customer relationship management (CRM). If there’s an existing application that does what you want it to do, there’s no reason not to use it! You’ll save time by using existing code bases and libraries instead of building everything from scratch yourself each time (which can be quite difficult).
6. Make sure you have a plan
The major step to any Shopify project is to understand the goals of your business and how the new store will help achieve them. You need to know what you want to achieve, why it’s important and how much time and resources are available.
7. Understand the platform
Shopify is a powerful ecommerce platform that can handle many types of stores. However, it’s not an all-in-one solution for every use case — for instance, if you need advanced customization or complex functionality, it may not be right for you.
8. Choose a theme (or build one)
Themes are one of the most important aspects of Shopify development because they help create a unique look for your site. There are thousands of themes available in the Shopify Theme Store and these themes come with different features that allow you to personalize your website easily. You can also use third-party themes or create your own theme by using HTML and CSS code if you have enough knowledge about them. If you don’t have time or resources to build your own theme, there are plenty of great options available from Shopify partners! XYZ Company can help pick out the best theme for your store and make sure it meets all your requirements with minimal hassle on your end.
Conclusion
If you’ve decided to build a Shopify store, and whether you’re selling physical goods or digital products there’s still quite a bit to consider. With so many things to take into account, it may seem like an impossible task to build your store, especially if you lack prior experience building ecommerce websites. However, to make the process easier, we compiled 8 best practices for Shopify development that are designed to help save you time and money. Hopefully, these tips will prove invaluable in building your site and helping it stand out from others.They’re commonly accepted standards that can greatly improve the quality of your Shopify theme or app, which will ultimately lead to happier customers and a healthier bottom line.