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Ecommerce engineering

Theme development

Shopify Theme Development

We build custom Shopify themes from a clean section architecture — modular, responsive and fast — so your team can compose pages in the editor without touching code.

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A page separating into sections, and the schema that makes each one editableCOM · 02
Overview

Themes built to be edited, not fought

EcomLabs builds Shopify themes the way modern themes like Dawn and Horizon are structured: modular sections, blocks and settings that merchants can rearrange in the theme editor. No hard-coded pages, no copy-paste sprawl.

We write Liquid that's readable and documented, so everyday changes stay in the editor and future work doesn't mean rebuilding from scratch. When you're on an old, patched theme, we migrate you to a clean Online Store 2.0 foundation.

Editor-first
Sections, blocks and presets are set up so merchandising and content changes happen in the theme editor, not in code.
Fast by default
Lean Liquid, deferred scripts and image discipline keep Core Web Vitals healthy as the catalog grows.
Maintainable
Consistent naming, documented schema and reusable sections keep the theme easy to extend a year from now.
Discuss your project
Schema → editor → storefront

Section schema is the contract: what you build decides what the merchant can change without us.

Choose a step
01Section code
  • sections/hero.liquid
  • snippets/
  • assets/
02JSON schema
  • settings[]
  • blocks[]
  • presets[]
  • limits
03Theme editor
  • merchant controls
  • no code required
04Storefront
  • templates/*.json
  • live rendering

A section is Liquid plus the assets it needs. On its own it renders one fixed thing.

The schema is the contract. Every setting, block and limit written here becomes something the merchant can change; anything left out becomes something only a developer can.

The theme editor renders that contract as controls. This is where the merchant works, and it is why the schema is a design decision rather than configuration.

Their choices are saved as JSON templates and rendered live. Nothing was rebuilt to get there.

What's included

What the engagement covers

  1. Custom Online Store 2.0 theme architecture
  2. Modular sections, blocks & presets
  3. Responsive PDP, PLP, cart drawer & navigation
  4. Dawn / Horizon-style section structure
  5. Theme performance & Core Web Vitals tuning
  6. Migration from legacy or vintage themes

Technologies

  • Shopify
  • Liquid
  • Online Store 2.0
  • Dawn
  • JavaScript
  • CSS
Use cases

Where this helps most

  • New custom theme

    A bespoke theme built around your brand and merchandising, not a marketplace theme bent to fit.

  • Legacy theme migration

    Moving off a vintage or heavily patched theme onto a clean Online Store 2.0 architecture.

  • Theme performance rescue

    Reworking a slow, bloated theme into lean sections that pass Core Web Vitals.

Process

How we deliver

  1. Audit & scope

    We review your current theme, catalog and content needs, then define a section architecture and clear milestones.

  2. Build sections

    We build the theme as modular sections and blocks in clean, documented Liquid with editor-friendly settings.

  3. QA & performance

    Cross-device QA, accessibility checks and performance tuning against real content and page weight.

  4. Handoff & support

    We document the theme, walk your team through the sections and provide post-launch support.

FAQ

Shopify Theme Development

Do you build from scratch or start from Dawn?
Both are valid. For fully custom brands we build a bespoke theme; for tighter timelines we can start from a clean base like Dawn and extend it. We decide based on your scope and budget.
Can you migrate my old theme to Online Store 2.0?
Yes. We move vintage or heavily patched themes onto a modular Online Store 2.0 architecture, preserving your content and rebuilding pages as editable sections.
Will my team be able to edit the theme?
Yes. We build with sections, blocks and clear settings so merchandising and content changes happen in the theme editor, and we document the setup for your team.
Proof

Where we have done this

Real projects that used this capability. Every one shipped.

See the whole archive
Go deeper

Written from the work

Explore more

Shopify DevelopmentEcommerce engineeringPerformance OptimizationPerformance & dataShopify CROExperience & conversion
Let's build

Ready to start with Shopify theme development?

Tell us about your store and your goals. We'll come back with a clear, honest plan and a transparent quote.

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