Code - Practical Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/category/design-development/code Independent analysis and strategy for online merchants Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:55:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.4 Vibe Coding Is Ecommerce’s New Excel https://www.practicalecommerce.com/vibe-coding-is-ecommerces-new-excel Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:34:04 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1556024 AI-generated software may seem far-fetched, but the process is a bit like using a spreadsheet.

The post Vibe Coding Is Ecommerce’s New Excel appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Merchants’ Guide to Optimizing CSS https://www.practicalecommerce.com/merchants-guide-to-optimizing-css Tue, 18 Feb 2025 15:08:07 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1549725 CSS controls website appearance. But it can become bloated and outdated, impacting page speed and more.

The post Merchants’ Guide to Optimizing CSS appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> GenAI Is a Potent Ecommerce Coding Tool https://www.practicalecommerce.com/genai-is-a-potent-ecommerce-coding-tool Sun, 08 Sep 2024 12:32:43 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1542246 Can ChatGPT generate code to auto-post a Google Doc into a Shopify blog?

The post GenAI Is a Potent Ecommerce Coding Tool appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Beware of Instant Site-speed Fixes https://www.practicalecommerce.com/beware-of-instant-site-speed-fixes Fri, 05 Jul 2024 13:46:58 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1539395 A Shopify store owner once paid a firm to redesign his site. The result was slow page loads and the owner's journey to improve them.

The post Beware of Instant Site-speed Fixes appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> 11 Free Websites to Learn Code in 2022 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/free-websites-to-learn-code Sun, 31 Oct 2021 11:56:38 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1247867 Learning code has never been easier. Many free resources can help a beginner master a programming language or build a new web project. For online merchants, a better understanding of code means less reliance on third-party developers. Here is a list of resources to learn code in 2022.

The post 11 Free Websites to Learn Code in 2022 appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Ask an Expert: What Is ReactJS? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ask-an-expert-what-is-reactjs Tue, 21 Sep 2021 17:42:26 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1085568 “Ask an Expert” is an occasional feature where we pose questions to ecommerce practitioners. For this installment, we’ve turned to Rajesh Bhimani, founder Skynet Technologies, a web development firm. He addresses the purpose and popularity of ReactJS.

The post Ask an Expert: What Is ReactJS? appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> You Can’t Solve Accessibility with 1 Line of Code https://www.practicalecommerce.com/you-cant-solve-accessibility-with-1-line-of-code Sun, 14 Mar 2021 14:35:08 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=368730 Accessibility overlays are third-party web scripts that alter the user experience. Providers of overlays sometimes claim that installing their script will prevent lawsuits in the U.S. under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Let me be blunt: these products will not protect you from lawsuits or necessarily help visitors with accessibility needs.

The post You Can’t Solve Accessibility with 1 Line of Code appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> How to Stop Sniply and Similar Services from Framing Your Content https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-stop-sniply-and-similar-services-from-framing-your-content Tue, 19 Mar 2019 15:23:41 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=172025 Social sharing tools such as Sniply, Backly, and similar put other companies' ads right on top of your popular and well-prepared content. But you don't have to let it happen. There are ways to stop these services from "framing" your content.

The post How to Stop Sniply and Similar Services from Framing Your Content appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Protecting Your Store from Cross-site Scripting Attacks https://www.practicalecommerce.com/protecting-store-cross-site-scripting-attacks Tue, 26 Jun 2018 20:52:20 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=155485 Security is vital for every ecommerce site. A breach of customers’ payment data or personal information could kill a business.
But an ecommerce site has other security risks, too. A common ...

The post Protecting Your Store from Cross-site Scripting Attacks appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Despite the GDPR, Cookies Are Vital to Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/despite-gdpr-cookies-vital-ecommerce Wed, 23 May 2018 19:29:10 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=152336 Cookies are in the spotlight with the E.U.’s new General Data Protection Regulation. It follows the E.U.’s “Cookie Directive,” which has been in effect for several years.
Cookies are important for ...

The post Despite the GDPR, Cookies Are Vital to Ecommerce appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Enable HTTP/2 for Happier Customers, Better SEO https://www.practicalecommerce.com/enable-http2-happier-customers-better-seo Mon, 12 Mar 2018 17:07:06 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=149120 Enabling your company's website to use HTTP/2 could result in better performance, happier customers, and improved rankings on search engines. All of that, in turn, could help your site generate more traffic, more conversions, and more profit. The HTTP/2 standard is a significant update of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol that has been used to connect computers via the internet since 1991.

The post Enable HTTP/2 for Happier Customers, Better SEO appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> 3 Steps to Minimize Technology Risks for an Ecommerce Store https://www.practicalecommerce.com/3-steps-minimize-technology-risks-ecommerce-store Thu, 25 Jan 2018 01:43:48 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=146991 Every business has risks. Part of what makes a business successful is how it eliminates or reduces those risks while still serving customers. The hardware and software that power your ecommerce store create risks. I'll call them technology risks. Some technology risks are benign and don't threaten the company. Other risks can have a sizable impact on the business.

The post 3 Steps to Minimize Technology Risks for an Ecommerce Store appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Cloud Hosting the Best Option for Stores that Own Code https://www.practicalecommerce.com/cloud-hosting-best-option-stores-code Tue, 28 Nov 2017 13:57:26 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=144354 The concept of cloud hosting can be confusing. “We’re moving to the cloud.” “The cloud can scale this.” Or my favorite, from Microsoft about Windows 7: “To the cloud.”
Cloud hosting ...

The post Cloud Hosting the Best Option for Stores that Own Code appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Frameworks Such as PhoneGap and React Native Ease Mobile App Development https://www.practicalecommerce.com/frameworks-such-as-phonegap-and-react-native-ease-mobile-app-development https://www.practicalecommerce.com/frameworks-such-as-phonegap-and-react-native-ease-mobile-app-development#comments Sun, 22 Oct 2017 13:15:56 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=143000 Development frameworks such as PhoneGap and, more recently, React Native make it significantly easier for retail businesses to build and deploy mobile applications for consumers and internal teams.
Radio-frequency identification readers ...

The post Frameworks Such as PhoneGap and React Native Ease Mobile App Development appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/frameworks-such-as-phonegap-and-react-native-ease-mobile-app-development/feed 1 A Short Introduction to CSS Grid Layout for Ecommerce Sites https://www.practicalecommerce.com/a-short-introduction-to-css-grid-layout-for-ecommerce-sites https://www.practicalecommerce.com/a-short-introduction-to-css-grid-layout-for-ecommerce-sites#comments Fri, 13 Oct 2017 12:49:51 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=142639 CSS Grid is a two-dimensional layout model that can be combined with CSS media queries to produce complex and responsive website layouts, including layouts for ecommerce stores.
The Internet and the ...

The post A Short Introduction to CSS Grid Layout for Ecommerce Sites appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/a-short-introduction-to-css-grid-layout-for-ecommerce-sites/feed 1 Understanding Code Deployments, for Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/understanding-code-deployments-for-ecommerce Thu, 24 Aug 2017 18:21:44 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=141069 “Code complete” is a common saying among software developers when they have finished a development project.
But code complete doesn’t mean everything is done. Once developers have written code for a ...

The post Understanding Code Deployments, for Ecommerce appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Confessions of an Ecommerce Developer https://www.practicalecommerce.com/confessions-of-an-ecommerce-developer Mon, 17 Jul 2017 14:50:30 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=139379 Web developers have standard processes and techniques to get their jobs done. They also have informal habits and opinions that influence their work — the kinds of things that no ...

The post Confessions of an Ecommerce Developer appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Static Site Generators an Option for Ecommerce Blogs, Content https://www.practicalecommerce.com/static-site-generators-an-option-for-ecommerce-blogs-content https://www.practicalecommerce.com/static-site-generators-an-option-for-ecommerce-blogs-content#comments Thu, 13 Jul 2017 13:06:34 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=139322 Static site generators offer an alternative to content management systems like WordPress or similar and may produce faster-loading web pages that are more secure and less complex to maintain. Static ...

The post Static Site Generators an Option for Ecommerce Blogs, Content appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/static-site-generators-an-option-for-ecommerce-blogs-content/feed 1 To Prevent Software Failures, Use Automated Testing https://www.practicalecommerce.com/to-prevent-software-failures-use-automated-testing https://www.practicalecommerce.com/to-prevent-software-failures-use-automated-testing#comments Thu, 22 Jun 2017 13:13:34 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=138793 The larger your ecommerce store grows, the more complex the software behind it becomes. Even if you outsource your store development or use a hosted platform, this complexity will affect ...

The post To Prevent Software Failures, Use Automated Testing appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/to-prevent-software-failures-use-automated-testing/feed 2 How to Implement Ecommerce Personalization https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-implement-ecommerce-personalization https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-implement-ecommerce-personalization#comments Wed, 24 May 2017 15:18:26 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=137904 Personalization is a growing trend in ecommerce. Shoppers want to see relevant marketing, products, and offers. When they receive them, they typically respond by purchasing more.
The idea around personalization is ...

The post How to Implement Ecommerce Personalization appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-implement-ecommerce-personalization/feed 2 How a Web Developer Estimates Completion Time https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-a-Web-Developer-Estimates-Completion-Time https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-a-Web-Developer-Estimates-Completion-Time#comments Wed, 26 Apr 2017 16:14:50 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=136631 It’s common for software developers to underestimate the time it takes to create a new feature. It’s one of the realities of software development.
In this post, I’ll explain how a ...

The post How a Web Developer Estimates Completion Time appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-a-Web-Developer-Estimates-Completion-Time/feed 2 Understanding HTTP Status Codes, for Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Understanding-HTTP-Status-Codes-for-Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Understanding-HTTP-Status-Codes-for-Ecommerce#comments Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:00:50 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=135687 An HTTP status code informs a browser about a web page or resource. When you click a link, your browser is asking the web server for the page that was ...

The post Understanding HTTP Status Codes, for Ecommerce appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Understanding-HTTP-Status-Codes-for-Ecommerce/feed 1 To Grow Search Traffic, Add JSON-LD https://www.practicalecommerce.com/To-Grow-Search-Traffic-Add-JSON-LD https://www.practicalecommerce.com/To-Grow-Search-Traffic-Add-JSON-LD#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2017 14:00:38 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=134304 Presumably every ecommerce site wants to improve its organic search traffic.
But a limiting factor with search engines has been their need to analyze huge quantities of HTML data, which is ...

The post To Grow Search Traffic, Add JSON-LD appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/To-Grow-Search-Traffic-Add-JSON-LD/feed 3 Understanding 4 Database Types, for Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Understanding-4-Database-Types-for-Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Understanding-4-Database-Types-for-Ecommerce#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2016 13:00:16 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=126517 As I wrote in “How Databases Work with Ecommerce Applications,” you’re likely using a database for your ecommerce store even if you don’t know it.
Ecommerce sites typically use databases for:

Transaction tracking;
Product ...

The post Understanding 4 Database Types, for Ecommerce appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Understanding-4-Database-Types-for-Ecommerce/feed 4 How Databases Work with Ecommerce Applications https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-Databases-Work-with-Ecommerce-Applications https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-Databases-Work-with-Ecommerce-Applications#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2016 17:00:59 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=125300 “Database-backed.” “Powered by PostgreSQL.” “Cloud database.” “Redundant, multi-zone NoSQL backend.”
Those are all terms that describe ecommerce systems that use databases. But, what, exactly, do those terms mean? Is it good ...

The post How Databases Work with Ecommerce Applications appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-Databases-Work-with-Ecommerce-Applications/feed 2 CSS, JavaScript Frameworks for Ecommerce Sites in 2016 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/CSS-JavaScript-Frameworks-for-Ecommerce-Sites-in-2016 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/CSS-JavaScript-Frameworks-for-Ecommerce-Sites-in-2016#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2016 06:00:49 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=124932 The CSS and JavaScript frameworks an ecommerce business chooses can have a significant impact on that business’s website features, performance, and development costs.
The combination of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and ...

The post CSS, JavaScript Frameworks for Ecommerce Sites in 2016 appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/CSS-JavaScript-Frameworks-for-Ecommerce-Sites-in-2016/feed 4 How Backend Code Describes an Ecommerce Business https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-Backend-Code-Describes-an-Ecommerce-Business Thu, 23 Jun 2016 11:56:28 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=124484 In “How Backend Web Applications Power Ecommerce Sites,” my article last month, I addressed web applications and explained how they can dynamically generate pages for your ecommerce store, eliminating having ...

The post How Backend Code Describes an Ecommerce Business appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> How Backend Web Applications Power Ecommerce Sites https://www.practicalecommerce.com/How-Backend-Web-Applications-Power-Ecommerce-Sites Thu, 26 May 2016 14:28:13 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=123516 I’ve explained how a website is displayed in a browser — the front-end technology — in “What HTML5 Means for Ecommerce Merchants,” “What CSS Means for Ecommerce Merchants,” and “What ...

The post How Backend Web Applications Power Ecommerce Sites appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> Make an Impressive Ecommerce Footer in Bootstrap https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Make-an-Impressive-Ecommerce-Footer-in-Bootstrap https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Make-an-Impressive-Ecommerce-Footer-in-Bootstrap#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2016 12:35:30 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=122304 The footer or bottom section of an ecommerce web page is often where shoppers look to find privacy policies, return information, or even a way to contact the store owner ...

The post Make an Impressive Ecommerce Footer in Bootstrap appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Make-an-Impressive-Ecommerce-Footer-in-Bootstrap/feed 2 What JavaScript Means for Ecommerce Merchants https://www.practicalecommerce.com/What-JavaScript-Means-for-Ecommerce-Merchants Tue, 19 Apr 2016 17:14:04 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=122189 Web developers use three core tools when building ecommerce sites: HTML for content and organization, CSS for the design and presentation, and JavaScript for the interaction with backend servers.
This article,

The post What JavaScript Means for Ecommerce Merchants appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.

]]>