Learning Shopify Theme Development by Building StreetAkuma
I am building my first Shopify theme for a streetwear brand in development. Here is why I chose to build it myself and what I want to learn.
StreetAkuma is a streetwear brand I am developing. It brings Japanese-influenced techwear style to Australia, and I would like it to grow globally over time. I am building it separately from everything else I do, and its Shopify theme is my first.
Why build a theme instead of buying one
I want the site to do specific things with animation. A generic theme would not give me that without a lot of fighting it. Building my own also means I learn how Shopify themes work, which I can use on future projects.
What a Shopify theme is made of
In Online Store 2.0, a theme is a set of Liquid templates, JSON templates, and sections and blocks. Sections are reusable parts of a page, such as a header or product grid. The theme editor lets the store owner rearrange them without touching code.
How I started
The design began as a prototype. The job now is turning it into a theme that works with real Shopify data and is easy to manage, instead of copying the prototype's code.
What I want from it
- Real product, collection and cart data
- Sections and blocks that make sense in the theme editor
- Pass Shopify's Theme Check
Where it stands
It is in development, and I will share more as it gets closer.
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