Shopify’s new default theme is called Horizon.
Horizon is a brand-new collection of free Shopify themes.
This is not another clone of Dawn. Using Shopify’s new “theme blocks,” which were revealed in the most recent editions six months ago, this is a completely new generation of themes.
🤔 10 new themes?
No, only one.
Horizon has siblings (Pitch, Tinker, Savor, etc.), just like Dawn and its siblings (Craft, Sense, Taste, etc.).
Although they have different settings applied, they all use the same Horizon base theme.
Except for .json files that store the settings, the code is the same, and you can use the theme customizer to make them appear similar. Therefore, it is better to consider these settings.
What has been added to Horizon?
Its usage of “theme blocks,” which have many tiers of nested blocks up to eight levels deep, is the most obvious difference. This gives you considerably more control over your content and design.
Theme Blocks with Nests:
Drag, drop, and customize anywhere to create complex layouts with global block placement and multi-level nesting.
AI Block Creator:
AI creates a custom block that is available for customization when you specify the block you want (for example, “Create a block with an image on the left, and a heading, paragraph text, and a ‘Shop Now’ button on the right. Stack on mobile.”).
An excellent place to start, but developer adjustments are still necessary to guarantee quality, performance, and accessibility.
Improved Editor Experience:
The editing process is streamlined using block previews, drag-and-drop, copy/paste across pages, category filters, and right-click shortcuts.
New, Integrated Design System:
High-quality layouts, responsive spacing, polished typography, and animations right out of the box—no need to manually adjust styles.
Optimized Performance:
Faster load times: good mobile Core Web Vitals, LCP under 2.2 s, and Time to Interactive under 2.5 s—all made possible by lighter code.
🎨 Introducing the Horizon Presets
Ten carefully chosen themes created for various industries, including general retail, fashion, technology, home products, cosmetics, and more:
Horizon (base): Simple and clean, perfect for general stores.
Tinker: Practical grids that are ideal for devices and tools.
Ritual: Magazine-style design, ideal for beauty or leisure.
Fabric: Vibrant graphic grids that emphasize pictures.
Dwell: A comfortable, serif-inspired style for both the house and well-being.
Pitch: Perfect for makeup, youthful, and swipe-ready.
…and more, such as Atelier, Savor, Heritage, and Vessel.
Is It Time to Switch?
Horizon is the best place to start for new stores because it is quick, versatile, and future-proof.
Existing Dawn-based stores: A complete redesign is necessary to switch to Horizon; there is no one-click upgrade path.
Users of premium themes: There are similar restrictions; developers have to start over with the new block structure.
Upgrade with care if you’re considering it, but Horizon surely sets the bar for the future.
For More info, click here.
