Shopify debuts Canvas, a way to build online stores by chatting with AI
Shopify’s Canvas turns Sidekick into a live store builder that edits the actual theme files behind the page.
Merchants can chat with Sidekick to generate and revise a Shopify storefront while Canvas renders the real code in real time, not a static mockup. The tool lets users test interactivity, animation, and responsive views as the site changes, with screenshots feeding Sidekick the same visual context the merchant sees. Shopify says it simplified its theme architecture and gave Sidekick direct access to theme files so it can understand and change structure, logic, and design. The product is still early, but TechCrunch frames it as a way to lower the need for developers, designers, or coding time. TechCrunch AI's note
Merchants can chat with Sidekick to generate and revise a Shopify storefront while Canvas renders the real code in real time, not a static mockup. The tool lets users test interactivity, animation, and responsive views as the site changes, with screenshots feeding Sidekick the same visual context the merchant sees. Shopify says it simplified its theme architecture and gave Sidekick direct access to theme files so it can understand and change structure, logic, and design. The product is still early, but TechCrunch frames it as a way to lower the need for developers, designers, or coding time. TechCrunch AI's note
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