E-commerce websites have become vital to buying and selling products, as many have taken advantage of the ability to establish their business online using these stores. However, e-commerce platforms may receive mixed user reviews, with some highlighting inefficiency or poor performance. Few understand how to improve these conditions, as the development behind an e-commerce website can be complex and challenging to understand.
However, for Shopify developer Awais Gill, these problems can easily be solved through the learning and application of effective technology. His interest in e-commerce stores was established while studying computer science at Bahauddin Zakariya University. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree, he temporarily worked as a WordPress intern at Perfect Web Solutions to gain experience in front-end experience and e-commerce platforms.
Following his experiences at Perfect Web Solutions, Awais worked at TatbeeqSoft as a PHP Developer. He then moved to NextBridge as a software engineer, where he specialized in Shopify theme development and custom app creation. There, Awais achieved the first major accomplishment of his career.
While working at NextBridge, Awais developed a custom Shopify public app that connected Shopify stores with ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. These systems allow businesses to manage and automate their core processes, improving data synchronization and operational efficiency for clients. This achievement clearly shows Awais’s experience and deep understanding of e-commerce, which would continue to assist Shopify later on.
In 2021, Awais advanced to the role of Consultant Shopify at Systems Limited, where he oversaw a team of developers, managed major projects, and drove innovative Shopify solutions. In just a year, he started working on a contract basis with Supernova, a company in Singapore, while continuing his role at Systems Limited. Working with Supernova allowed Awais to expand his expertise and work on international projects, an admirable opportunity.
Working with Supernova enhanced Awais’s expertise in headless architecture using React JS and Next JS, and theme customization. While working with them, he helped clients implement these factors into their Shopify platforms, an accomplishment that was a key factor in advancing e-commerce technology. The implementation of headless architecture using React and Next JS significantly improved both site performance and user experience.
Shopify allows clients to implement headless architecture into their application, allowing for greater flexibility, maintainability, and scalability of the platform. This style of software design separates the front end, or the user interface, from the back end, or application logic, of an e-commerce store.
Headless architecture has multiple benefits, as it allows for faster loading times, greater customization, and the creation of multiple front ends, such as web and mobile, at the same time. With this addition, Shopify can provide several possibilities for clients to grow their businesses efficiently and successfully.
One of the many opportunities provided by Shopify is the ability to create custom apps to add new features to Shopify stores. Clients first need to sign up for a Shopify Partner account to gain access to developer tools and create a development store from their Shopify Partner dashboard.
The second step is creating the app. Clients can choose to create either a public app, which is available to all Shopify merchants, or a private app, which is only available for a specific group of stores. A variety of languages can be used for app creation, such as Python, Ruby on Rails, and Node.js. If help is necessary, clients can contact Shopify’s support team or visit the Shopify Expert Marketplace to hire a Shopify expert.
Once app development is complete, it must be tested locally through the development store. Public apps will have to go through Shopify’s app review process before being listed in the Shopify App Store. If the app passes the testing phase, it can be deployed to a production environment using a cloud service like Heroku, AWS, or Google Cloud. Performance will need to be monitored to troubleshoot any issues and improve the application.
Not only does Shopify allow users to create an app, but it also lets them personalize a theme to encompass their brand’s style. Themes are easier to alter than an app, as they are website templates that require little or no custom coding. This can be helpful for businesses that do not have the time or money to create an entire application.
To change a theme to match their personality, companies simply need to select a base theme and change it by altering the theme settings and modifying the layout. These can allow an individual to change the colors, fonts of their website, and locations of blocks on their website. Blocks can be used to add and rearrange paragraphs, headers, testimonials, and product collections.
The freedom guaranteed by Shopify cannot be matched by any other e-commerce company, yet this would not be true without Awais Gill’s genius and innovative contributions. As an individual with the ability to both lead and collaborate, he has played a key role in various projects and their success. Systems Limited has recognized Awais’s contributions by awarding him their “Star of the Quarter” award and promoting him to Senior Consultant Shopify in 2022.
Although he has achieved significant success in his career, Awais does not wish to stop learning and achieving more. He plans to start his own software house company, Arbify Solutions, to make even more significant impacts on the technology industry. For Awais, there is always more to learn and apply to the technological world.
Awais Gill is an admirable man whom all should strive to follow. As he continues to learn about and utilize new technology, his success is bound to be multiplied significantly. Awais’s determination to use new technology to help people’s small businesses has led him to make several important contributions to the world of e-commerce, and his influence will certainly affect more as he continues to apply his expertise to more technological fields.
