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Frameworks#

Frameworks in Miva Merchant provide a powerful way to manage the overall structure, design, and configuration of your store. They act as blueprints, enabling you to create, install, and save fully functional store setups, complete with pages, templates, CSS/JS resources, and item configurations. Frameworks are especially useful for replicating store designs, migrating configurations, or setting up new stores efficiently.

What Are Frameworks?#

A framework is a packaged set of store configurations, including:

  • Pages: Layouts, templates, and page-level customizations.
  • Items: Assigned functionality such as navigation or product data displays.
  • CSS/JS Resources: Styling and scripting resources for store design and interactivity.
  • Global Settings: Configurations for menus, custom fields, and more.

Frameworks allow you to:

  1. Save Existing Configurations: Export a complete store configuration to replicate elsewhere.
  2. Install New Frameworks: Apply pre-built frameworks to quickly set up new stores or test design concepts.

The Built-In Shadows Framework#

The Shadows Framework is a modern, responsive framework included with Miva Merchant, designed to provide a feature-rich and customizable foundation for your store. As a built-in framework, Shadows is maintained and updated by Miva with every version release, ensuring compatibility, performance improvements, and access to the latest features.

Key Features of Shadows#

  1. Responsive Design:
    • Fully optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
  2. SEO-Optimized:
    • Built with clean code and best practices to ensure excellent search engine performance.
  3. Customizable Layouts:
    • Offers flexible layouts for product pages, category pages, and content sections.
  4. Built-In Features:
    • Includes a range of ready-to-use components like mini-basket, address validation, and more.
  5. Pre-Installed:
    • Shadows is built into the Miva software and available for all stores.
  6. Regular Updates:
    • Updated with every Miva release to include bug fixes, feature enhancements, and performance improvements.

Learn More About Shadows#

For more information, visit the Shadows ReadyTheme page to explore its features and capabilities.

Benefits of Frameworks#

  1. Efficient Store Setup:

    • Frameworks streamline the process of creating a new store or migrating configurations.

  2. Version Control:

    • Save frameworks as backups to preserve design and functionality at specific points in time.

  3. Testing and Experimentation:

    • Apply frameworks in a branch to test different design layouts or functionality safely.

  4. Consistency Across Stores:

    • Deploy frameworks across multiple stores to maintain uniformity in branding and structure.

How to Use Frameworks#

Installing a Framework#

Frameworks can be installed from the Miva admin interface. Follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to User Interface > Frameworks.
  2. Click Install Framework.
  3. Upload the .pkg file.
  4. Select the components to install (e.g., Pages, Items, CSS/JS Resources).
  5. Click Install to apply the framework to your store.

Important

Use frameworks in a branch to test their impact before applying them to your live store.

Saving a Framework#

Saving a framework allows you to export your current store configuration for backup or reuse.

  1. Navigate to User Interface > Frameworks.
  2. Click Save Framework.
  3. Configure the settings:
    • Name: Enter a descriptive name for the framework (e.g., “Winter 2025 Design”).
    • Components to Include:
      • Pages
      • Templates
      • CSS/JS Resources
      • Items
      • Global Settings
    • Custom Fields: Include custom field configurations if needed.
  4. Save the framework, which will generate a .pkg file for download.

Best Practices for Frameworks#

  1. Test Frameworks in a Branch:

    • Always install and test frameworks in a branch to ensure they don’t disrupt the live store.

  2. Use Descriptive Names:

    • When saving frameworks, use clear and descriptive names to identify their purpose or date.

  3. Document Frameworks:

    • Maintain a record of what each framework includes for easy reference in the future.

  4. Backup Frameworks Regularly:

    • Save frameworks periodically to ensure you can roll back changes or migrate designs easily.

  5. Limit Installation to Necessary Components:

    • When installing frameworks, select only the components you need to avoid overwriting unintended settings.

Summary#

Frameworks in Miva Merchant provide a versatile way to manage store configurations, design layouts, and functionality. Whether you’re setting up a new store, migrating configurations, or backing up designs, frameworks are an indispensable tool for efficient and scalable store management.

Ready to explore more? Take a look at Emails → next.