Shopify Vs Laravel – Which Platform is Best for Online Store?

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Shopify vs Laravel

When you’re picking an eCommerce platform for your online business, you might be asking yourself which one is better: Shopify or Laravel. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to know the differences before you make a choice.

Let’s go over the benefits, drawbacks and cost of each options to help you decide which one is right for you.

Shopify Explained

This is a logo of Shopify

Shopify is an online shopping platform that takes care of hosting for you, meaning you don’t have to worry about setting up your own website or managing the servers.

This is a big plus if you aren’t very tech-savvy or don’t have a lot of time to manage these tasks yourself.

However, since Shopify is hosted, you might find that your options for customizing your store are limited. If you want to add special features, you’ll have to either use apps from Shopify’s app store or hire someone who knows how to work with Shopify.

Shopify is easier to use and set up compared to Laravel. Also Shopify offers many features and tools right from the start, which is great if you want a simple solution. But you won’t have as many options for customization, and you may need to pay extra to access certain features.

Cost Breakdown of Shopify:

This image illustrates cost breakdown

Shopify’s basic plan starts at $29 a month, but advanced plans can go up to $299 a month.

When it comes to hidden costs, Shopify tends to be the pricier choice. For example, if you want your own custom domain name, you’ll have to pay a yearly fee. Plus, if you’re not careful, transaction fees can really add up.

On the other hand Laravel doesn’t charge transaction fees.

Custom Themes in Shopify:

Image showcasing a Shopify theme to highlight Shopify's capabilities in the Shopify vs. Laravel debate

Image Source : Shopify

Shopify themes are made using HTML, CSS, and a special language called Liquid. Liquid helps developers create content that can change dynamically within a Shopify theme.

Developers can make their own Liquid templates by either changing existing ones or starting completely new ones from scratch.

Customizing Shopify themes can seem challenging, but with some basic knowledge, it’s pretty straightforward. To begin, you need to open your text editor and create a new file. Then, add this code at the top of your file:

{% include ‘shopify’ %}

This code helps to include all the essential files needed for working with Shopify themes.

After that, you should pick a layout for your template. Shopify has a few options, but I suggest using “layout/theme.liquid.” This option gives you access to all the files you need to customize your theme.

Once you’ve chosen your layout, you can start adding your own CSS and HTML code to change the appearance of your template.

Understanding Liquid:

This is a logo of liquid which is templating language of shopify

Liquid is a templating language that helps theme developers create and display content in a clear and organized way. Liquid tags are special commands that let developers add dynamic content to a theme. This means they can insert information into various templates like themes, products, collections, and blog posts.

What Do Liquid Tags Look Like?

Liquid tags use the format {% tagname %} and always come in pairs. The first tag is the opening tag, and the second one is the closing tag. For example, {% if %} is an opening tag, and {% endif %} is the closing tag that goes with it.

Liquid tags are important because they allow developers to create content that changes based on the individual shop. Without these tags, developers would have to manually write out every piece of content, which would take a lot of time and make things hard to manage.

What Are Some Common Liquid Tags?

Some of the most commonly used Liquid tags include: {% include %}, {% layout %}, {% section %}, and {% yield %}.

With these tags developers can add other files or templates to their current file, create new layouts or sections, and display content from different files.

Liquid tags are placed in the layout file, and when a store is loaded, Shopify automatically replaces them with the correct data.

For example, if you want to show the price of a product in your store, you would use this Liquid tag:

{{ product.price }}

Developers Opinion:

Some developers believe that creating custom Liquid theme templates is a helpful way to improve their coding skills. However, others feel that it’s a waste of time because there are already many excellent themes out there.

Laravel Explained

This is a logo of Laravel

Laravel is a framework for PHP that has become very popular recently because it makes it easier to create web applications. Also it’s expected to keep growing as a leading choice for developers in the future.

Laravel uses a design pattern called Model-View-Controller (MVC), which helps developers organize their code better. One of the main benefits of using Laravel is that it allows you to divide your code into different “modules.” This makes it simpler to maintain and reuse your code.

Another great feature of Laravel is its built-in templating engine, which helps you create nice-looking layouts for your web applications easily. Additionally, Laravel includes a powerful command line interface (CLI) that you can use to manage your application.

Read this in-depth article on: why you should choose Laravel for your e-Commerce website. for more detailed information.

Coding In Laravel

Many developers pick Laravel because it has a large ecosystem that supports many tools and libraries.

Laravel has its own way of writing code (Syntax) that is different from regular PHP. By learning Laravel’s syntax, you can create better applications.

Laravel uses the Blade templating engine, which comes with its own rules that are different from standard HTML. In Blade templates, you can use expressions and variables without needing to use “echo” each time.

The syntax in Laravel is designed to be simple and easy to read. For example, here’s a code snippet that sets up a route to respond to GET requests:

Laravel Code Example 1: Basic Route with a View

phpCopy codeRoute::get('/', function () {
    return view('welcome');
});

In this example, the route responds to a GET request by returning a view called welcome. This is typically used to load a Blade template from the resources/views directory.

Laravel Code Example 2: Eloquent Query with Conditions

phpCopy code$activeUsers = User::where('status', 'active')->get();

This example retrieves all users with the status of ‘active’ from the database using Laravel’s Eloquent ORM, and stores them in the $activeUsers variable.

Cost Breakdown

If you want to build custom ecommerce website read about the Cost of Hiring Laravel Developers to get a clear idea of how much it could cost you to build an eCommerce website.

SHOPIFY vs LARAVEL

Laravel is a good option for developers who want to have more control over their projects. With Laravel, you can create custom features and really shape your website to meet your specific needs.

On the other hand, Shopify is ideal for people looking for an all-in-one solution. Shopify handles all the hosting and security for you.

Many developers like using Laravel because it gives them more flexibility and options for customization compared to Shopify.

Another strong points of Laravel is that it has better documentation. This means that if you’re new to it, you’ll find it easier to access information and tutorials that can help you learn how to use it.

Shopify is a platform that helps businesses create and manage their online stores. It offers users a customizable platform, a simple checkout process, and a variety of feature integrations.

On the other hand, Laravel lets developers build web applications with flexible structure and easy-to-understand syntax, but it can be challenging to learn and use at first.

In the end, if you want a user-friendly platform Shopify might be the better option. However, if you want more control over your website’s design and specific functions, Laravel could be the right choice for you.

I hope this helps resolve your dilemma between Shopify and Laravel.

FAQ

Is Laravel overkill for an online store in 2024? Should I just use Shopify?

Laravel offers greater flexibility but requires more development resources. Shopify is ideal for quick, hassle-free setups. If you need custom features, Laravel might be worth it; otherwise, Shopify is simpler.

Does Shopify generate a privacy policy?

Yes, Shopify provides a privacy policy generator, but you may still need to customize it based on your business needs and legal requirements.

Is Shopify app development profitable?

Yes, Shopify app development can be profitable due to the platform’s large user base and growing demand for custom apps and features.

How much do Shopify developers cost?

Shopify developer costs range from $20 to $150 per hour, depending on the developer’s experience and location.

Which PHP framework is best for beginners?

Laravel is one of the best PHP frameworks for beginners due to its clear documentation and ease of use.

How is Shopify’s sales analytics system?

Shopify’s sales analytics system offers basic reports, but some users find it lacking in advanced sales tracking and customization.

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