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- Newsletter #15: how to migrate from Shopify Scripts to Functions, the end of one-time payments and the joy of capoeira
Newsletter #15: how to migrate from Shopify Scripts to Functions, the end of one-time payments and the joy of capoeira
Hi there,
I hope you're feeling good.
I just spent a couple of days with a friend in Angers, in the west of France. It was quiet and peaceful: exactly what I needed to charge my batteries before starting a new week of work.
In today's edition, we're discussing how to migrate from Shopify Scripts to Functions, the end of one-time payments and the joy of capoeira.
Let's dive in.
Work
In February 2023, Shopify announced the depreciation of Shopify Scripts.
We know that they will no longer be supported as of August 13, 2024, which is in less than a year.
Merchants who are currently using Shopify Scripts need to migrate to apps powered by Shopify Functions before this date.
We also know that, since April 2023, Shopify Functions can be written in JavaScript.
The question is: how exactly can merchants migrate from Shopify Scripts to Shopify Functions?
A good way to find out is to dive into Shopify’s documentation.
But I have an easier way for you: Tom Blanchard, a freelance Shopify developer based in the UK, just put together the perfect migration guide.
He shows us how to transform a Shopify Script into an extension-only app powered by Shopify Functions. An extension-only app is a custom app that does not have any embedded app pages.
In his guide, Tom is migrating a Shopify Script which applies a discount to all line items, if the total line item quantity reaches a certain threshold.
For example, if the total cart item quantity is over 10, the script applies a 20% discount to all line items. And, if it’s over 40, then it applies a 30% discount.
Tom details how to proceed, step by step, with the appropriate screenshots and code snippets.
He then goes the extra mile by showing us how we can set up our extension-only app to be configurable by the merchant, even though the app does not have any merchant facing interface: following a tip given by Sammy Isseyegh, partner at Optizio, Tom leverages shop-level metafields to allow the merchant to edit the discount logic as they please.
Amazing work!
Discover the migration guide here. Learn more about Tom Blanchard by visiting his LinkedIn profile. And feel free to explore Shopify’s documentation about extension-only apps and Shopify Functions.
Inspire
Do you know the company 37signals?
They’re best known for making Basecamp and HEY, writing business and software books like “REWORK” and inventing the Ruby on Rails framework… No big deal!
One thing that really inspires me about 37signals is their storytelling. They use psychology, direct language and short sentences to catch our attention. They make us feel like they understand the problem we’re facing and they offer a solution for it.
In 2020, 37signals launched their email service, HEY. The landing page was brilliant. I felt understood. I was nodding at almost every sentence.
Here is an extract:
“It feels great to get an email from someone you care about. Or a newsletter you enjoy. Or an update from a service you like. That’s how email used to feel all the time.
But things changed.
You started getting stuff you didn’t want from people you didn’t know. You lost control over who could reach you. An avalanche of automated emails cluttered everything up. (…)
Now email feels like a chore, rather than a joy. Something you fall behind on. Something you clear out, not cherish. Rather than delight in it, you deal with it.”
Today, 37signals is doing it again.
They published another brilliant landing page: once.com.
Here is an extract of their statement:
“Something happened to business software.
You used to pay for it once, install it, and run it. Whether on someone’s computer, or a server for everyone, it felt like you owned it. And you did.
Today, most software is a service. Not owned, but rented. Buying it enters you into a perpetual landlord–tenant agreement. Every month you pay for essentially the same thing you had last month. And if you stop paying, the software stops working. Boom, you’re evicted.
(…) Once upon a time you owned what you paid for, you controlled what you depended on, and your privacy and security were your own business. We think it’s that time again.
(…) The post–SaaS era is just around the corner.”
This statement really got me thinking.
It’s true that software shifted from an ownership model to a subscription-based model. And it led to a profound transformation in how we interact with it.
I see several advantages and drawbacks to it.
Let’s start with the positive:
Accessibility and convenience: subscription-based services have made content more accessible to a broader audience. Our DVD collection was certainly smaller than Netflix or Amazon Prime Video’s catalogues.
Lower upfront costs: instead of making an expensive one-time purchase, we subscribe to a monthly fee for only a few dollars.
Continuous updates: with subscription models, we benefit from the latest features and improvements without any additional cost.
Flexibility: if we’re not satisfied with a subscription service, we’re free to switch to another one.
Now let’s talk about the negative:
Dependency: the more we rely on subscription services, the more we become dependent. We all know this feeling when a tool goes down for a few hours and we’re left with hardly any alternative.
Cost over time: while subscriptions might seem cheaper in the short term, the cumulative cost over time can surpass the price of ownership.
Lack of ownership: we no longer own the software we’re using. Worst: we barely own our personal data and we have little control over what companies do with them (even though this has been improved with regulations such as GDPR).
Switching costs: while we have the flexibility to switch services, the process of migrating data and adapting to a new platform can be time-consuming and costly.
What do you think about all this?
Discover more about 37signals on their website (where the company’s name is explained in an interesting way) and learn more about Once on their website.
Explore
My favorite sport is capoeira.
I practiced capoeira for several years and I still do whenever I get a chance.
If I had to choose one word to describe this sport, it would be complete.
With capoeira, I learnt so many things at once: self defense techniques, dance moves, Brazilian songs lyrics and how to play traditional music instruments such as the berimbau or the pandeiro.
Most of all, everytime I play, I receive so many good vibes. The radiant smiles, playfulness and positivity of capoeira players envelop me and elevate me.
To start the day in the best way, here is a beautiful capoeira clip (2min) directed by Nicolay Lima.
Enjoy.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading this edition until the end.
I'll talk to you soon.
Take good care of yourself.
Coralie
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