The new landing page for Shopify's quarterly updates, Shopify Editions Winter '26, has just been revealed, and the website is filled with interesting quirks and features that make it stand out in the web development world.
At first glance, the site makes developers wonder, "How is this even possible?" With its stunning visuals, smooth animations, and interactive elements, it's a showcase of modern web development techniques pushed to their limits.
Technical Breakdown#
After examining the site closely, I've identified several key components that make this experience possible:
Core Technologies#
React/Remix#
The site is built on React with Remix as the framework, providing a solid foundation for the complex interactions. This aligns with Shopify's recent strategic shift to go all-in on Remix for their development ecosystem, showcasing how this framework can power highly interactive and visually stunning web experiences
Tailwind CSS#
Used for styling throughout the site, which is practically a given for any modern, high-quality web project these days. Tailwind has become so ubiquitous in professional web development that it's almost assumed as the default CSS framework for any serious project, allowing for rapid development, consistent design, and the flexibility needed for complex interactive experiences
Rive#
Powers the impressive motion graphics throughout the site. As someone who hasn't worked with Rive or the canvas HTML element before, I'm amazed at how performant it is for rendering simple 3D-style environments and visual effects. Seeing these capabilities in action makes me think it might be worth exploring, especially with AI assistance to help craft similar digital experiences. The efficiency with which Rive handles complex animations while maintaining smooth performance is particularly impressive.
For an official breakdown, check out this post on X by one of the skilled engineers at Shopify:
The Canvas Magic#
One of the most impressive aspects of the Shopify Editions Winter '26 site is the main canvas element that renders the background imagery and moving characters. This canvas dynamically updates based on scroll position, creating an immersive experience as you navigate through the content.
The site employs depth maps to create a pseudo-3D effect with 2D imagery in the background canvas. This sophisticated technique adds a sense of dimensionality and movement that makes the site feel alive and responsive to user interaction. As you scroll, elements shift and move at different rates, creating a parallax effect that enhances the immersion.
For those interested in understanding how these depth map techniques work, Wes Bos offers an excellent deep dive on the subject. His breakdown explains how developers can use depth information to simulate three-dimensional space within a two-dimensional canvas, allowing for the creation of these stunning visual effects that make modern websites like Shopify Editions stand out. The technique essentially assigns different "depth" values to different parts of an image, allowing the browser to calculate how each pixel should move relative to the viewer's perspective or scroll position.
Inspiration for My Own Site#
I fell in love with the table of contents layout and re-created my personal site in the same way. My new site at nuotsu.dev pays heavy homage to Shopify Editions Winter '26, particularly with respect to:
- the dynamic table-of-contents layout
- Roman numerals
- color palette
Further Exploration#
If you're as impressed as I am with Shopify Editions Winter '26, I recommend checking out their other Editions landing pages at shopify.com/editions. For another example of innovative web design, Lando Norris' website at landonorris.com is also worth exploring.
Breaking down sites like these helps us understand the cutting edge of web development and provides inspiration for our own projects. While replicating every aspect might be challenging, understanding the underlying techniques can help us incorporate similar elements into our work.
