Shopify Evolution: Scripts, Functions and Your Store’s Future
Shopify offers various tools and functionalities to empower merchants in customizing and enhancing their online stores. Among these are Shopify Scripts and Shopify Functions. You’ve probably already heard that one will replace the other, but what will be the difference between them, what should you expect, and when should you expect it?
Upgrading E-Commerce: From Shopify Scripts to Functions
Let’s start with the tool that has first priority, or simply the oldest one — Shopify Scripts. Shopify Scripts were once a powerful tool available exclusively to Shopify Plus merchants. These scripts enabled customization of the checkout experience by allowing merchants to modify pricing, apply discounts, alter shipping methods and add various conditions to the checkout process. The language used for Shopify Scripts was Ruby. Merchants could input code fragments directly into the Shopify admin panel to tailor the checkout experience. Performance was limited and modifying the configuration by tweaking code could cause problems, and the guidance of developers was definitely needed.
Enhance Your Store with Shopify Functions
Thankfully, the reason Scripts will no longer be supported is that they will be replaced with something new, something that sounds way better. Starting with being available for all users, regardless of their plan, Shopify Functions offer a lot more than its precursor.
These functions are a part of the Storefront API and are utilized for extending storefront functionalities using, e.g., JavaScript. Shopify Functions allow merchants to customize the frontend experience for customers by modifying product catalogs, implementing filtering or sorting options, and handling various interactions within the storefront.
Unlike Shopify Scripts, which were restricted to checkout customization, Shopify Functions offer a broader scope for enhancing storefront functionalities. They can be integrated into a Shopify store through apps available in the Shopify App Store or via custom app development. While JavaScript is commonly used due to its compatibility, other languages compatible with the Storefront API can also be utilized for writing these functions.
Shopify Scripts were known for their ability to customize the checkout process, but were exclusive to Shopify Plus merchants and operated within the limitations of Liquid-based scripting. However, with their deprecation, these customizations will no longer be supported.
In contrast, Shopify Functions, written in JavaScript but not limited to it, provide a wider scope for storefront customizations and are available to all Shopify users. These functions can be integrated into apps, allowing merchants to manage and configure their functionalities through the app’s interface within the Shopify admin panel.
While Shopify Scripts were a valuable tool for checkout customization, their deprecation has led to a shift in exploring alternative solutions. Shopify Functions, with their broader scope and compatibility, remain a powerful means for merchants to enhance storefront functionalities and customize the customer experience within the Shopify platform.
As Shopify continues to evolve its ecosystem, understanding the available tools and functionalities becomes crucial for merchants looking to create unique and tailored experiences for their customers.
Stay tuned for the next part, where I’ll dive into building our first Shopify Function, unlocking the potential for storefront customization within the platform.
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