The Shopify Theme Kit is a favored tool among businesses that operate on the Shopify eCommerce platform. Shopify Theme Kit enables businesses to customize the look and feel of their online store easily and professionally. Don’t wait any longer; let’s learn more about the elements related to the Shopify Theme Kit, such as its features, installation procedure, and how it works in the section below.
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Shopify Theme Kit – At a Glance
What is Shopify Theme Kit?
Shopify Theme Kit is a command line tool offered by Shopify, facilitates the local management and development of Shopify themes. This tool empowers you to effortlessly upload, download, and synchronize theme files between your personal computer and your Shopify store.
Thanks to Theme Kit, you can conveniently modify your theme files offline and seamlessly apply those alterations to your live store. This tool greatly aids in the development and customization of themes on the Shopify platform.
Top Features of the Shopify Theme Kit
With the assistance of the Shopify Theme Kit, you have the capability to leverage your preferred development tools to engage with the Shopify platform through the methods as follows:
- Collaborate seamlessly with a team of theme developers by utilizing workflow tools such as Git.
- Effortlessly upload themes to various environments.
- Efficiently monitor local modifications and seamlessly synchronize them with Shopify.
- Enjoy the flexibility of working on Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems.
How to Install the Shopify Theme Kit: Step-by-Step Guides
To effortlessly integrate the Shopify Theme Kit into your store, simply install it on your computer and configure it with your store’s information. This seamless process allows you to harness the power of Theme Kit and its array of commands to effortlessly interact with your store’s theme files. Follow these steps to unlock the full potential of Theme Kit and enhance your Shopify experience.
NOTE: You need to possess the authorization to enter a Shopify store and have a working knowledge of the fundamental principles of the command line.
Step 1: Install Theme Kit
You can easily install Theme Kit on various operating systems by utilizing the command line.
Linux: To download and install the most recent version of Theme Kit automatically, use the installation script found here:
macOS: To install Theme Kit, use Homebrew and execute the following commands:
Windows: Use Chocolatey to install Theme Kit by typing the following command:
NOTE: Although Theme Kit does not currently have native support for the Apple M1 architecture, it can be utilized by starting the terminal with the Open using Rosetta option.
Step 2: Get a Theme Password
To utilize Theme Kit, obtaining a Theme password is necessary to establish a connection between it and your store, allowing you to handle your template files. The creation of a Theme password can be done by the store owner or a staff member with the necessary permissions through the Theme Access app. Once you have installed Theme Kit, acquiring a Theme password is the next step to take.
Steps:
1. You can totally use the Theme Access app to obtain a Theme password, kindly seek assistance from the store owner or a staff member with the appropriate permissions.
2. Navigate to your email inbox and locate the invitation that encompasses your Theme password.
3. Within the invitation, select the option “Get Theme password” to proceed.
4. Once done, let’s make a copy of the password as it will be utilized in the subsequent step.
NOTE: Bear in mind that the provided link will expire either after a duration of 7 days or after the password has been viewed. Furthermore, please be aware that the password can only be viewed once.
Step 3: Connect to an Existing Theme
If you don’t want to work on an existing theme, you have the option to create a new theme. To connect to an existing theme, you will require the theme’s ID. The most convenient method to obtain your theme’s ID is by utilizing the theme get command, which provides a list of existing themes and their corresponding IDs on the store.
Here is an illustration of the theme get command, where your password represents your Theme password obtained from step 2, and your store represents the domain name of your Shopify store:
Pro Tip: Don’t include the URL protocol (HTTP or HTTPS) from the store parameter.
PowerShell
When utilizing PowerShell, it is crucial to enclose the URL in quotes if it comes after a single dash. This is particularly significant when utilizing the abbreviated form in the command. To illustrate, the subsequent example demonstrates a functional and a non-functional approach.
Step 4: Set up Your Config File
A config.yml file is needed to be generated to establish a local connection with the Shopify store’s theme. Through utilizing the previously gathered data (theme password and theme ID), you can generate a config.yml file within your theme and subsequently proceed to download the theme locally.
Steps:
Make a folder for your theme:
Navigate to the new directory:
Use the following command to download a particular theme and generate the config.yml file in the directory you just created, and then link this theme to a local version:
Step 5: Create a New Theme
To generate a fresh theme, execute the subsequent command:
Executing the new theme command initiates the following steps:
1. Add a basic local theme template
2. Add a new theme to your Shopify website
3. Add the updated files to your Shopify website
4. Add or update your config.yml file with your new theme’s configuration.
Step 6: Push Theme Updates
After successfully establishing a connection to a Shopify theme, you are now able to execute the subsequent command within your theme directory:
The watch command of Theme Kit directs Theme Kit to monitor any modifications made to your local files and automatically applies those changes to your theme in the linked Shopify store. To close the watch connection, let’s press ctrl + C.
Shopify Theme Kit – The Final Verdict
To sum up, Shopify Theme Kit is an indispensable tool for developers seeking to manage and develop Shopify themes locally. This powerful command line tool streamlines the process of making changes to theme files, enabling offline development and effortless synchronization with the live store.
With Theme Kit, developers can efficiently customize and enhance their Shopify themes, ensuring a seamless and efficient workflow. Whether you’re an experienced developer or just starting out, Shopify Theme Kit is a great tool worth trying for optimizing and personalizing your Shopify store’s theme.
Source: Shopify
Learn more about Shopify theme techniques and the list of theme reviews by BSS Commerce Shopify here:
