Building a Shopify theme does not mean focus only on functionality. You also need to consider the tools to customise the website effortlessly. The secret? Getting the balance right between sections and blocks. This guide will walk you through how to make the most of these powerful tools.
What makes sections and blocks the backbone of Shopify themes?
If you’re designing a Shopify theme, understanding the role of sections and blocks is essential.
Sections are the big building blocks of your pages. They let merchants add, remove, and rearrange content with ease. Available on all pages in Online Store 2.0 themes, sections are great for creating flexible layouts.
Blocks, on the other hand, are like puzzle pieces that fit into sections. They allow smaller adjustments, like adding text, images, or products, making your themes more dynamic and user-friendly. Shopify owners use blocks when they want to fine-tune content within a section or make a section easier to customise. For instance, instead of hardcoding a product image, add a block so merchants can change it whenever they want.
When should you use a section or a block? Sections are ideal for structuring a page, while blocks are perfect for adjusting specific elements within those sections.
How to build block and sections in Shopify?
So you understand how they works individually and together as mentioned above. Now it’s time to build them the right way.
Best practices for building sections
Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Your sections should be flexible enough to handle different types of content, like text, images, or product displays. This makes it easier to use them across various pages on your site.
- It’s always useful to have the option to rearrange or hide parts of a section without affecting the overall design. For example, you might want to move around headings, text, or images to suit your needs.
- Simple customisation options, like changing fonts, aligning text, or picking colours, make it easy to update your store’s look without needing any technical know-how.
- Whether it’s a mobile or desktop, everything should look great and function smoothly for your customers.
How about building blocks
Here’s how to get it right:
- Blocks should only affect themselves, keeping things simple and preventing unnecessary complexity in the rest of the section.
- It’s important to arrange blocks in a way that feels natural. Whether it’s text, images, or other elements, the flow should always make sense to your customers.
- Too many blocks can make editing overwhelming. Sticking to the essentials helps keep things clean and easy to manage.
- Customisation options, like changing an image or its settings, should be grouped together within the block. This keeps the editor tidy and easier to use.
- Avoid making blocks too detailed. For instance, instead of creating separate blocks for “author,” “date,” and “comments,” combine them into one block for a cleaner layout.
What does building block help Shopify theme?
The answer is you get a logical and friendly layout for your Shopify store.
The way you arrange blocks in your theme directly affects how user-friendly and visually appealing your site is. Smart layouts improve usability and make sure your content always looks clean and polished.
For content where the order matters, stack blocks vertically. For example, a blog title should appear above the post content, following a logical flow.
Site owners can use grids or horizontal layouts for content that doesn’t need a strict hierarchy, like product images, to create a modern, flexible look.
Additionally, you have to make your layouts responsive by allowing blocks to wrap or use sliding controls on smaller screens. This ensures everything stays easy to read and visually appealing.
Last but not least, don’t avoid rigid layouts. Don’t lock yourself into a fixed block order or structure. Flexibility lets store owners customise themes freely.
Should you use app blocks?
App blocks let you add third-party app features directly to your theme, like customer reviews, upsell widgets, or unique tools. But to use them effectively, store owners think carefully about placement.
Only add app blocks where they make sense. For instance, a product page might use an app block for reviews, but it wouldn’t fit in a hero banner. App blocks should complement your page’s purpose, without overcrowding or making it feel inconsistent.
Our recommandation: using Theme settings and Metafields
Theme settings and metafields offer extra flexibility for customising your site, making it easier to adapt to different pages or products.
Theme settings can be used at the section, block, or theme level, giving store owners a simple way to tweak the design.
Metafields are great for content that’s specific to the product or page, like size charts or care guides. When you design blocks for metafields, they automatically adapt to the content being viewed.
