Shopify has launched Canvas, a new AI-powered website builder that lets merchants create and edit online stores by chatting with the company’s Sidekick assistant.
Previously, Shopify’s no-code tools allowed merchants to customize themes by rearranging sections and blocks. More advanced changes often required editing code or hiring a developer.
Canvas is designed to reduce that need by letting users describe what they want in natural language.
Builds the Store in Real Time
As Sidekick makes changes, Canvas renders the actual store in real time.
Shopify says this is not a static preview. Canvas displays the real code behind the storefront, allowing merchants to test animations, interactions and layouts as they would appear on the live site.
Users can also switch between different screen sizes to see how the store will look across devices.
Sidekick takes screenshots of the interface while working so it can see the same version of the store that the merchant sees.
Users Can Still Edit Manually
Merchants are not limited to chat commands.
Canvas still allows users to click individual elements and make changes directly, while also offering zoom and pan controls for navigating the full storefront.
Sidekick itself is not new. Shopify has already used the assistant for writing code, building apps, customizing themes and making other store changes.
Canvas brings those capabilities together into a dedicated site-building environment.
Shopify Changed Its Theme Architecture
To make Canvas possible, Shopify gave Sidekick direct access to theme files and simplified the underlying theme architecture.
The company says this makes a store’s structure, logic, and design easier for the AI to understand and modify.
Several Features Are Still Missing
Canvas is still in an early stage and currently works only on desktop.
At launch, it does not support third-party themes, app blocks and extensions, Markets, translations, rollouts or theme updates.
Shopify says it plans to add support for those areas over time.
Canvas joins a growing number of AI-powered site-building tools from companies including Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and Framer, as well as newer vibe-coding platforms such as Lovable and Replit.
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