Core terms
- Option — attribute (Size, Color, Material). Max 3 per product.
- Value — specific choice within an option (Small, Red, Cotton).
- Variant — SKU-level combination of option values. Max 2,048 per product.
- SKU — Stock Keeping Unit. Unique identifier per variant.
App-added terms
- Line-item property — per-order customer input attached to a cart line.
- Cart Transform — Shopify Function API that modifies cart pricing.
- Conditional logic — show/hide fields based on other selections.
Display terms
- Swatch — visual chip (color, image) instead of dropdown.
- Variant picker — UI for selecting variant options.
- Live preview — real-time render of customization.
Inventory terms
- Continue selling when out of stock — allow order despite 0 inventory.
- Backorder — order placed knowing shipment delay.
- Preorder — order placed before product available.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Shopify option?
Attribute customers choose (Size, Color). Max 3 per product. Values combine into variants.
What is a Shopify variant?
SKU-level combination of option values. Max 2,048 per product since Oct 2025.
What is a SKU?
Stock Keeping Unit — unique identifier per variant. Used for inventory, POS, reporting.
What is a line-item property?
Per-order customer input (name, photo). Attached to a specific cart line. Set at add-to-cart.
What is Cart Transform?
Shopify Function API that modifies cart pricing before checkout. Enables per-option fees.
What is a swatch?
Visual chip (color square, image thumbnail) rendered instead of dropdown option.
What is conditional logic?
Rule that shows/hides fields based on other selections. E.g. show engraving text only if 'Add engraving' = yes.
What is a metafield?
Merchant-defined structured data on product/variant/order. Not customer choice.
Related reading
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