● Reckoneerhow it works
Reckoneer / Stage 9
Stage 9BuildAutomatic

Push to Dev

Once Theme Check passes, Stage 9 pushes the built theme to the client's Shopify store using the Admin API. The theme is installed as an unpublished theme — it exists in the store's theme library but is not visible to customers.

Shopify generates a preview URL for the unpublished theme. This URL shows exactly what the theme looks like on the real store with real products, without affecting the live storefront.

The preview URL and theme ID are written to the run record. The run advances to Stage 10 (Merchant Review), waiting for the operator to review the preview and make a decision.

Terms
Unpublished theme

A theme installed in a Shopify store's theme library but not set as the active storefront theme. Customers cannot see it. Can be previewed via a special URL and published instantly when ready.

AnalogyA finished store display that's been assembled in the back room. Complete and ready to go, but the curtain is still drawn. Only authorized people can peek at it before it's unveiled.
OriginPublish: from Latin 'publicare' (to make public). Unpublished: complete but not yet made public.
Theme library

The collection of all themes installed in a Shopify store — one published (live) theme plus any number of unpublished themes. Accessible via Shopify Admin > Online Store > Themes.

AnalogyA wardrobe full of outfits. The store is wearing one outfit right now (published theme). The others hang in the wardrobe (theme library) — complete, ready, and swappable.
OriginLibrary: from Latin 'librarium' (chest for books). A collected, organized set of items available for use.
Admin API theme push

The process of uploading a theme to Shopify via the Admin API — sending all theme files (Liquid templates, JSON settings, assets) to Shopify's servers where they are stored and rendered.

AnalogyUploading a website to a hosting server. The files live on your machine; the push copies them to the server where Shopify can serve them to browsers.
OriginPush: in version control and deployment contexts, 'push' means sending local changes to a remote server. The opposite of 'pull'.