Shopify Online Store 2.0 features and tools make online commerce easy and fun by allowing you to create a highly personalized and adaptable store, revolutionising the experience of running a business. You may improve your brand and product-level narrative tactics with plenty of opportunity to experiment with metafields, sections everywhere, and updated theme architecture and tools.. 

Salient features of Shopify Online Store 2.0 Themes

Making commerce better, the Online Store 2.0 Shopify offers the following features:

• Sections on every page - You aren't just limited to the home page to create a unique layout. With Sections Everywhere, you can add, rearrange, customize or remove sections and blocks to create unique page layouts.
• Enhanced app support - The possibility to add apps without touching any code via App blocks will help you to monetize your store seamlessly. 
• Richer content using dynamic sources - You can add any extra information related to the product with metafields.  
• Collection filtering -Allow your customer to engage with your store with better filter options like looking for products by availability, price, and more.

Learn more about the Shopify Online 2.0 features and differences in our blog. 

Upgrade to Online Store 2.0

Shopify Theme architecture

Before we go ahead with Shopify 2.0 theme architecture terms and styles, here are few notes on Shopify: 

• All of the preexisting themes or Shopify 1.0 themes are called vintage themes. 
• In general, vintage themes are classified into two types: sectioned and non-sectioned. 
• Based on your theme architecture, some themes might get access to new Shopify features. 

Determine your Shopify Theme architecture version

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes> Customize.
2. In the drop-down menu at the top of the page, select Products > Default product. 
3. Blow the product template sections; if you have an Online Store 2.0 theme, an Add section button appears below the section list.
4. If no Add section button appears, then you might have a vintage sectioned theme or a vintage non-sectioned theme. 

Determine your Shopify vintage Theme architecture version

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes> Actions > Edit code.
2. Check the folder structure, If it is a sectioned theme - you will find files in the Sections directory, and if there aren't any files in the Sections directory, you're using a non-sectioned theme.

Shopify Online Store 2.0 Theme architecture 

Shopify Online Store 2.0 themes use templates to specify the type of content that will appear in your store, and each of these templates can contain up to 20 sections. 

The Online Store 2.0 themes sections help you create an ideal template where each section serves a specific function, such as headers, text, single images, a collage of images, or links. Except for gift cards and checkout pages, you can use sections to customize or add pages to your online store. For more information, read our Shopify 2.0 metafields and CLI usage and benefits blog. 

Using sections and blocks, you can enjoy more flexibility in arranging and designing your store's content without the need to edit code. If you feel you are limited or couldn't include the settings or options you need with sections, you can edit your theme code or contact your theme's developer for support.  

Upgrading to Shopify Online Store 2.0

Although it is not mandatory to upgrade your store to Online Store 2.0, it would be great to upgrade. Read more about what Shopify Online Store 2.0 can offer to merchants and developers this BFCM 2021 in our blog. Learn more to take advantage of Online Store 2.0 features and deliver better experiences.

You can upgrade to Online Store 2.0 in several ways:

• Download a new Online Store 2.0 Shopify Theme from Shopify theme store.
• Download the improved version of your theme, as it is mandatory for theme developers to release a theme version compatible with Online Store 2.0 features by the end of 2021. 
• Migrate to new architecture manually by adding Online Store 2.0 functionality to your theme. 

If you need help in upgrading or migrating your store to the new Shopify Online Store 2.0, you can also connect with HulkApps Shopify Online Store 2.0 experts. 

Choosing Shopify Online Store 2.0 Themes: 

As you would be knowing, the Shopify Theme Store offers a wide variety of free and paid themes. Each theme is designed to help you build and grow businesses. To begin with, here's a list of Shopify 2.0 themes we will be discussing. 

Shopify Dawn Theme:

• First free Shopify Online Store 2.0 Theme 
• Released by Shopify 

Built to help you enjoy Online Store 2.0 features, Shopify Dawn Theme's smart and adaptable layout will achieve your desired vision. The theme's flexible design and customization options ensure your online store always looks elegant despite the content you put for the product. Learn more about the theme with our Shopify Dawn theme review blog.
 
Supported presets: 

• Default
• Craft

Empire Shopify 2.0 Theme:  

• Designed for high-volume stores
• Built by Pixel Union 

Inspired by Amazon, Empire Shopify 2.0 theme is optimized for large product catalogs. The theme's flexible navigation and filtering will ease the ways to make your products more discoverable, and the layout and other marketing tools will help you create your brand story. 

Supported presets: 

• Supply 
• Graphic 
• Industrial 

Expression Shopify 2.0 Theme:

• Ideal for large inventory stores
• Built by Clean Canvas

 The Expression Shopify 2.0 theme is great for any store that would like to promote a large inventory smartly. Packed with features, the theme elements like customizable sidebar, flexible sections, mini collection cards will help you highlight the store content versatilely. 

Supported presets: 

• Naturale
• Oxford
• Ocean
• Innovate

Foodie Shopify 2.0 Theme:

• Supports both instore and online 
• Built by We are Underground

Foodie Shopify 2.0 Online Store theme structure is beautifully crafted with well-thought-out sections, supporting stores with a small inventory. The theme UX/UI aims to deliver the best user experience by facilitating appropriate filter options so your store customers can find their desired products easily.

Supported presets

• Grind 
• Slice
• Grow

Colors Shopify 2.0 Theme:

• Designed for stores to a quick start 
• Built by Small Victories

With the in-store pickup, quick buy, slide-out cart, and sticky cart options, Colours Online Store 2.0 theme will help you customize your brands and get started quickly. The theme In-menu promos, Product badges, Promo banners, and Quick view options will ease your customer to understand your store's best product and checkout efficiently. 

Supported presets

• Generic 
• Fluor
• Pastel

Conclusion: 

Your theme architecture defines the way you built your brand and store for your customers.  Each option you decide will either ease your customer search or make it complex.  Although upgrading to Shopify Online Store 2.0 isn't mandatory, the way your file types are made, the way apps integrate with your store will impact your store performance. Therein, it is highly recommended to upgrade your store to Online Store 2.0 and improvise your brand story and returns. For more information on migrating to Online Store 2.0 Shopify, read our Shopify Online Store 2.0 step-by-step tutorial.