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Quick Diagnostics

Before diving into specific issues, run these quick checks:
1

Clear cache

Clear your browser cache and Shopify’s theme cache:
  • Browser: Hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Shopify Admin: Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit code (forces cache clear)
2

Run Theme Check

This identifies common issues with your theme code.
3

Check browser console

Open DevTools (F12) and look for errors in the Console tab.
4

Verify Shopify CLI version

Update if you’re not on the latest version:

Installation & Setup Issues

Git Clone Fails

Problem: SSH key not configured with GitHub.Solution: Use HTTPS instead of SSH:
Or configure SSH keys:
  1. Generate SSH key: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"
  2. Add to GitHub: Settings > SSH and GPG keys > New SSH key
Problem: Incorrect repository URL or access permissions.Solution: Verify the URL:
Check you’re not trying to clone a private fork without access.

Shopify CLI Connection Issues

Problem: Authentication or network issues.Solution:
  1. Log out and log back in:
  2. Verify you have the correct permissions:
    • Store owner or staff account
    • “Manage themes” permission enabled
  3. Check firewall/network settings:
    • Ensure ports 9292 (default dev server) are not blocked
    • Disable VPN if causing issues
Problem: Network timeout or file conflicts.Solution:
  1. Check file size limits (assets > 20MB will fail)
  2. Verify file names don’t contain special characters
  3. Try pushing/pulling specific files:
  4. Use --allow-live flag carefully for live themes:

Theme Development Issues

Local Development Server

Problem: Port conflict or CLI issues.Solution:
  1. Check if port 9292 is in use:
  2. Use a different port:
  3. Kill any stuck processes and restart
Problem: Caching or sync issues.Solution:
  1. Hard refresh the browser (Ctrl+Shift+R)
  2. Disable browser cache in DevTools (Network tab > Disable cache)
  3. Check the terminal for sync errors
  4. Restart the dev server
  5. For CSS/JS changes, check file is being loaded:
    • Open DevTools > Network tab
    • Filter by CSS or JS
    • Look for 304 (cached) vs 200 (fresh) status

Liquid Errors

Problem: Invalid Liquid code causing rendering errors.Common causes:
  • Missing closing tags ({% endif %}, {% endfor %})
  • Typos in variable names
  • Invalid filter usage
  • Mismatched quotes
Solution:
  1. Check the error message for line number
  2. Verify all tags are properly closed
  3. Use Theme Check to identify issues:
Example error:
Fix:
Problem: Accessing undefined variables or properties.Solution:
  1. Check variable exists before using:
  2. Use default filter for fallbacks:
  3. Verify you’re in the correct template context:
    • product only available on product templates
    • collection only on collection templates
    • Use {% echo %} to debug: {% echo product %}
Problem: Using deprecated or incorrect filters.Solution:
  1. Check Liquid filter documentation
  2. Verify parameter syntax:
  3. Some filters require specific input types:

JavaScript Errors

Problem: Variable or function not defined.Solution:
  1. Check script load order in layout/theme.liquid:
  2. Verify modules are exported/imported correctly:
  3. Check for typos in variable/function names
Problem: Elements not found or timing issues.Solution:
  1. Verify element exists when code runs:
  2. Use event delegation for dynamic elements:
  3. Check element isn’t disabled or hidden
Problem: Cross-origin request blocked.Solution:
  1. Use Shopify’s Ajax API for cart/product operations:
  2. For external resources, ensure CORS headers are set on the server
  3. Use proxy for third-party APIs if needed

Styling Issues

CSS Not Loading

Problem: CSS file not loaded or incorrect path.Solution:
  1. Verify asset_url in layout:
  2. Check file exists in /assets/ directory
  3. Clear browser cache and hard refresh
  4. Check Network tab in DevTools:
    • 404 error = file not found
    • 304 = cached (might be outdated)
Problem: CSS specificity or order issues.Solution:
  1. Increase specificity without using !important:
  2. Check stylesheet load order:
  3. Use DevTools to inspect which rules are applied:
    • Right-click element > Inspect
    • Check Styles panel for crossed-out rules
Problem: CSS custom properties not defined or inherited.Solution:
  1. Define variables on :root or appropriate scope:
  2. Check for typos in variable names (case-sensitive)
  3. Provide fallback values:

Version-Specific Issues

v3.4.0 Update Issues

Problem: Customer account menu broken after upgrading to v3.4.0.Solution:
  1. Clear browser cache completely
  2. Check for JavaScript console errors
  3. Verify custom CSS isn’t targeting old account menu selectors
  4. If heavily customized, review migration guide for account component changes
Problem: Product cards displaying at wrong widths.Solution:
  1. Check new width control settings in section schema:
    • Desktop width setting
    • Mobile width setting
  2. Test responsive behavior at different breakpoints
  3. Clear any custom CSS that might conflict:

Performance Issues

Problem: Poor performance metrics.Solution:
  1. Run Lighthouse audit (Chrome DevTools):
    • Right-click > Inspect > Lighthouse tab
    • Generate report
    • Follow recommendations
  2. Optimize images:
  3. Minimize JavaScript:
    • Remove unused scripts
    • Defer non-critical JS
    • Use code splitting
  4. Enable asset preloading:
Problem: LCP metric failing Core Web Vitals.Solution:
  1. Identify LCP element (usually hero image or heading)
  2. Preload LCP image:
  3. Use loading="eager" for above-fold images:
  4. Optimize image file size (compress without quality loss)
Problem: Elements shifting during page load.Solution:
  1. Set explicit dimensions on images:
  2. Reserve space for dynamic content:
  3. Avoid inserting content above existing content
  4. Use CSS containment:

Browser-Specific Issues

Common Safari issues:
  1. Flexbox bugs: Use explicit flex properties
  2. Date input styling: Safari doesn’t support custom date pickers well
  3. Position fixed in iOS: Avoid fixed positioning during scroll
Common Firefox issues:
  1. Flexbox gaps: Firefox handles gap differently in older versions

Getting Additional Help

Shopify Community

Search or ask questions in the Shopify Community Forums

Shopify Support

Contact Shopify Support for store-specific issues

Theme Documentation

GitHub Issues

Check Horizon GitHub Issues for known bugs

Debug Mode

Enable Shopify’s debug mode to see detailed error messages:
Remove debug code before going live to avoid exposing sensitive information.

Reporting Bugs

When reporting issues:
  1. Provide context:
    • Horizon version (check config/settings_schema.json)
    • Browser and version
    • Steps to reproduce
  2. Include error messages:
    • Browser console errors
    • Theme Check output
    • Server-side Liquid errors
  3. Share code samples:
    • Minimal reproducible example
    • Relevant Liquid/JS/CSS code
  4. Screenshots/videos:
    • Visual bugs benefit from images
    • Use browser DevTools to highlight issues