Online Store 2.0, explained for store owners
If your theme was built before 2021, your team may be missing features they would use every week. What Online Store 2.0 changed, without the jargon.
Online Store 2.0 is the name Shopify gave to the way themes have worked since 2021. A lot of stores still run older themes, and the owners don't always know what they are missing.
Sections on every page
Older themes let you move sections around on the home page only. With a 2.0 theme you can add, remove and reorder sections on product pages, collection pages and normal pages too. A landing page for a campaign no longer needs a developer.
Different layouts for different products
You can create a second product template, for example one with a size guide and one without, and choose which template each product uses. The same works for collections and pages.
Apps that don't touch your code
Apps can add their parts as blocks that you place in the theme editor. When you uninstall the app, the block goes with it. In older themes apps often edited the theme files directly, and that code stayed behind after the app was gone.
Content from metafields
A section setting can be connected to a metafield, so a "materials" block shows different text for each product, filled in from the product admin. We have a separate post on metafields if you want the details.
Should you switch?
If your team edits the store often, or you rely on several apps, I think moving to a 2.0 theme usually pays off. If the store is small and rarely changes, it can wait. Either way, a theme change is a good moment to clear out old app code and check speed at the same time.
Every theme we build from a design is set up this way. More in Figma to Shopify theme development.
