[Feedback] Theme blocks - template size limit 256kb

Theme blocks are the most revolutionary update for shopify liquid, ever.

We have created an amazingly customizable theme that is tailored for our client. We have been able to leverage the blocks and their nesting capability over and over to build a site out of component like parts.

It is so useful and easy to edit that I cannot see how we can regress from what we have built to having less customizability or less settings.

However now our problem is on the homepage we are hitting the 256kb template size limit. We are so close to having all the content we want, the page is not enormous and we are not doing anything silly like storing svg in the template. I would really like to see the size limit increased in light of theme blocks inevitably inflating the data used when leveraged correctly.

Please Shopify.

It would even be ok if the json was stored minified because with the nesting of the blocks around 30%-40% of the filesize is whitespace. It really seems like an outdated arbitrary limit that theme blocks catches up to quickly.

Again, please Shopify.

OK, update for anyone struggling with this: We have reduced our block settings id’s to 8 chars or less, degraded the settings in some blocks and stored a list of rich text contents in a metafield to help us squeeze under the limit. Our code is now less readable and the site is harder to edit. With our changes we are now over 40% whitespace in the file.

Please Shopify, the limit is no longer fit for purpose if you expect this feature to be taken seriously.

Hi Josh,

Thank you for your feedback about the template size limit. I just wanted to write you a quick note to let you know that we saw your message and that the team has begun discussing the issue.

Hi Mia,

Thank you so much, I realise that increasing the limit or minifying the json will incur a cost to Shopify but it is so worth it to developers and merchants now we have theme blocks.

Thanks again,

Josh

PS Please Shopify

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I agree that it’s an impactful change for devs and merchants, though I can’t promise anything until we’ve done our due diligence to ensure the rest of the platform will continue to run smoothly :wink:

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My client has been provided a demo of the theme and they love it. The design team, creative team, marketing, the head of digital the CEO, even usually inactive board members have gotten wind of the demo and given their praise along with their questions.

I am being asked for more functionality, more settings, potentially more wrapping/layout blocks etc.

Shopify I am sweating bullets about this, I look at my index.json at 210kb on the first brand out of 20 something and the perspiration accelerates. There is no more (reasonable) space to be saved. Overall over 200 stores need replaced by this theme and its ability to be customized.

Please Shopify