Shopify's new tool lets merchants build stores by chatting, no coding needed
Shopify launched Canvas on October 1: merchants chat with AI to build their store and watch real code render live, lowering the barrier to opening a shop.
Shopify released Canvas on October 1, letting merchants build an entire store by chatting with its AI assistant Sidekick, with changes visible in real time.
Shopify's previous no-code editor worked by rearranging modules and blocks within a chosen theme, and deeper customization still required editing code or hiring a developer. Canvas renders the store's actual theme code rather than a static preview, so merchants can test full interactivity and animation. Shopify simplified the theme architecture so Sidekick can read and write theme files directly.
Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and others already offer similar AI site builders; Canvas brings that approach to a leading e-commerce platform. The product is early days by Shopify's own account, and real-world results remain to be seen from merchant use.