Shopify launched a new site-building tool Thursday named Canvas. The product lets merchants set up their Shopify store by chatting with artificial intelligence. Shopify previously offered a no-code builder. That older system involved editing a selected theme by rearranging modular sections and blocks. Deeper customizations required editing code or hiring a developer.
Merchants now chat with Shopify’s AI agent, Sidekick, to create their sites using Canvas. Canvas displays results in real time as the AI makes changes. Merchants watch the store come together as a whole or zoom in on specific details. Shopify states this preview is not static. It renders the real code behind the store.
Merchants can test the full interactivity and animation of the page. They can also view pages across different screen sizes. Sidekick captures screenshots of the work to view the same elements the merchant sees during updates. Merchants retain the option to click individual elements and make direct changes.
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Sidekick is not a new creation. The agent already handles tasks like writing code, building apps, customizing themes, and making edits. Canvas marks the first time Sidekick powers a full site-building product. Users view the entire store at once while zooming and panning around.
Shopify updated the underlying technology to enable this capability. The company gave Sidekick the ability to work directly with theme files. It also simplified the theme architecture to help the AI understand and alter structure, logic, and design.
The current launch has several limitations
The current launch has several limitations. Third-party theme support is missing from the initial release. App blocks and extensions, markets, translations, rollouts, and theme updates are also absent. Canvas currently operates on desktop computers only.
Shopify plans to support these missing features over time as the product matures. Canvas joins a growing market of AI site-building tools. Competitors include Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, and Framer, alongside vibe-coding platforms like Lovable and Replit.
Future iterations of Canvas could lower barriers to entry. The tool may help people become online sellers without developer budgets or coding skills.
