Issue 176 - Shopify Section Rendering API

This collection of articles and transcripts covers various aspects of Shopify development, freelancing, and the evolving landscape of the field. Here's a breakdown: **1. SQLite and Litestack for Rails Deployment:** This article advocates for using SQLite and Litestack for deploying smaller Rails applications. It argues that this combination simplifies deployment and backups, improves speed, and reduces costs by eliminating the need for separate database and caching services like Postgres, MySQL, and Redis. It provides a tutorial on how to deploy such an application on Fly.io and acknowledges potential limitations, such as single-node operation and downtime during server crashes. **2. Adding Shopify Bundles without an App:** This transcript describes how to implement product bundles on a Shopify store without using a paid app. The presenter explains the process of adding custom code to the theme to allow customers to add multiple products at once with a discount. They also explain how to set up quantity-based discounts in the Shopify admin. **3. Shopify Checkout Customization Course:** A brief description of a course teaching developers to customize Shopify checkout experiences using metafields and Shopify Functions. It emphasizes creating dynamic pricing, payment, and delivery options. **4. Shopify Environment Management Tool:** This piece introduces a new tool from 10SQ, a Shopify Plus Partner, that aims to simplify environment management for enterprise merchants and agencies. The tool uses a Git-style version control system for Shopify objects, enabling easier syncing, cloning, and governance across environments. **5. Shopify's Section Rendering API:** This transcript from Coding with Jan explains Shopify's Section Rendering API. It demonstrates how the API allows updating specific sections of a webpage without a full page reload, improving performance and user experience. Jan explains how it works, demonstrates its use via the browser console, and discusses its implications for dynamic content and theme development. He also highlights the differences between Liquid and JavaScript and how the API bridges the gap between server-side and client-side rendering. **6. "Evil Dawn" Open Source Theme:** A brief mention of an open-source Typescript/Vite rework of Shopify's Dawn theme with improved media support. **7. Liquid Weekly Podcast with Jan Frey:** This podcast transcript features Jan Frey, of Coding with Jan, discussing the current state of Shopify development, freelancing, and getting started in the field in 2025. Key topics include: * **Finding Clients:** The importance of networking, referrals, a professional online presence (LinkedIn, website, portfolio), and producing valuable content. Cold outreach is discussed, with an emphasis on personalized approaches over generic spamming. * **Developing Skills:** Starting with HTML, CSS, and Liquid, then progressing to JavaScript, backend development, and potentially databases. The importance of soft skills and professionalism is also highlighted. * **AI in Development:** AI is recognized as a valuable tool for increasing productivity and learning, but not yet a replacement for developers. * **Jan's JavaScript Course:** Jan promotes his new JavaScript course, designed to help Shopify developers master the complexities of JavaScript in a Shopify context. * **Shopify Updates:** The podcast concludes with a discussion of recent Shopify changes, including checkout API deprecations, Metafield changes, and new customer address capabilities. The overall theme across these pieces is the constantly evolving landscape of Shopify development. New tools and techniques are emerging, requiring developers to adapt and learn new skills, while the fundamentals of networking, professionalism, and providing value remain crucial for success.