Theme Extension
Overview of the AutoCart theme app extension that runs on the storefront.
Overview
The standard theme extension is the primary storefront integration for AutoCart. It consists of two app blocks that you can add to your Shopify theme. Tiered and Cyclic rules are handled by the separate Progressive Theme Extension app embed.
App Blocks
Automatic Mode
This block is added to your theme and runs automatically. It:
- Reads all your automation rules
- Automatically evaluates rules and manipulates the cart without user interaction
- Displays a gift picker modal when rules require customer selection
Best for: Stores that want fully automatic cart manipulation without a trigger button.
Button Mode
This block renders a visible button in your theme. It:
- Reads all your automation rules
- When clicked, opens the gift picker modal
- Supports both
"automatic"and"button"action variants
Best for: Stores that want to give customers a visible button to open the gift picker (e.g., on product or cart pages).
Modal versions
Both app blocks can run either the original legacy modal or a saved Modal Designer configuration.
- Legacy modal is the default and preserves the existing labels, styles, mounting behavior, and cart interaction.
- Modal Designer (Advanced) loads a responsive metaobject configuration through the same extension.
The designer bundle is selected only when the shop is eligible and the configured design ID or handle resolves. Otherwise, the extension loads the legacy bundle. See Storefront Behavior for the complete selection rules.
Configuration Object
Both blocks populate window.autoCartConfig with the following structure:
The Liquid runtime separately publishes the resolved design as:
Scope Filtering
AutoCart rules can be scoped to run on specific surfaces:
- Rules scoped to
"checkout"only run at checkout - Rules scoped to
"global"run on both storefront and checkout - Rules with no scope (or scoped to
"storefront") run only on the storefront
Next Steps
- Block Settings — Merchant-configurable settings in the theme editor
- Modal Designer — Visual editor and installation guide
- Custom Settings — Advanced
additionalSettingsreference - Events API — Events shared by the standard and Progressive storefront engines
- Progressive Theme Extension — Tiered and Cyclic storefront automation