Shopify CLI gives you a dev theme. ThemeSync keeps it alive, maps your templates to real pages, and lets clients give feedback without ever seeing your source code.
1 free site forever · Full CLI integration · 14-day trial on Pro
The Theme Access token timed out, or Shopify auto-deleted the dev theme (14-day limit). You re-run shopify theme dev, wait for it to push files, and regenerate a preview URL.
They land on /products/summer-jacket, but your product.seasonal template doesn't load. It shows the default product template. "Why does this look wrong?" — they email.
You send a long message explaining ?view=seasonal parameters. The client responds: "I don't understand. Can you just make it work?"
"The hero section looks off." Which page? Desktop or mobile? Chrome or Safari? You spend 30 minutes clarifying before you can act.
Frustrated, you push the theme to the client's admin as an unpublished theme. Now your code is fully visible and downloadable. You just lost your leverage.
Same Shopify CLI under the hood. None of the friction.
Theme Access keeps auth alive without browser pop-ups. ThemeSync auto-refreshes the dev theme before Shopify's 14-day limit hits. Your preview never goes down.
You set product.seasonal → /products/summer-jacket once. When the client visits that URL, the correct template loads. No parameters. No explaining.
Client clicks the element and comments. You see the pin, the page, the browser (Safari 17.4), the device (iPhone 15), the viewport (393×852). Zero follow-up needed.
The theme runs in ThemeSync's cloud, renders on the client's store via Shopify's proxy. Nothing is in their admin. They see the design. You keep the source.
Shopify dev themes can't assign alternate templates to pages without publishing. ThemeSync injects a transparent snippet that routes each URL to the correct Liquid template. The client browses normally and every page renders the design you intended.
*.liquid and JSON alternate templatesThe client's live theme has Klaviyo, Judge.me, and Recharge app blocks embedded. On your dev theme, those blocks produce errors and blank sections. ThemeSync scans for them and lets you strip or restore with one click, keeping previews clean without manual template surgery.
ThemeSync runs shopify theme dev in the cloud with Theme Access authentication. No browser pop-ups, no session timeouts. When Shopify's 14-day dev theme limit approaches, ThemeSync automatically refreshes the theme to keep it alive for the entire project.
For developers who want to know exactly what's happening.
Not an emulation — actual shopify theme dev running in a Docker container. Same behavior you get locally, but in the cloud with persistent uptime.
Use a Theme Access password for headless auth. No OAuth browser flow needed. Session survives indefinitely. Your collaborator account doesn't need to stay logged in.
Push to your branch and ThemeSync pulls and hot-reloads. Auto-sync intervals from 30s to 5min. Conflict resolution with side-by-side diff when store files diverge.
Code compatibility checks understand Liquid syntax: render in for-loops, inline script size, deprecated filters. Pairs with Theme Check for full coverage.
Detects both JSON templates (Online Store 2.0) and legacy .liquid templates. Mapping works with either format, including section groups.
Each session runs in its own Docker container. No cross-contamination between projects. Client store credentials never leave the container.
"Template mapping alone saved us from hundreds of 'why does this page look wrong' emails. Clients just browse the store and everything loads correctly. We went from 2-week approval cycles to 3 days."
"The app block detection is brilliant. We used to spend an hour per project figuring out why sections were blank on dev themes. Now it shows us exactly which Klaviyo/Judge.me blocks to strip."
"I was terrified of clients downloading my theme from their admin. With ThemeSync, the code never touches their store. I show the design, get sign-off, and deliver on my terms."
Connect your repo and a client store. Live preview in under 5 minutes. No credit card. Template mapping and git sync included on the free tier.
Persistent sessions. Template mapping. Visual feedback. The workflow Shopify theme development deserves.
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