> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://arkticstudio.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Template tests

> How to A/B test full Shopify page templates — product pages, collections, and more.

## What is a template test?

A template test compares two different Shopify page templates against each other. Unlike a Section content test (which injects HTML into a specific spot), a template test replaces the entire page layout for variant visitors — different sections, different order, different blocks.

Template tests are ideal for:

* Testing a product page redesign (different section order, new blocks, removed elements)
* Comparing a simple vs feature-rich collection page layout
* Testing two completely different homepage designs

***

## How it works

Shopify supports alternate templates via the `?view=` URL parameter. When `?view=my-test` is appended to a product URL, Shopify renders `templates/product.my-test.json` instead of the default `templates/product.json`. The full Liquid template renders server-side — sections, metafields, blocks, and schema all work normally.

When a variant visitor loads a page matching the template type (e.g. any product page for a product template test):

1. The Arktic script checks if `?view=<suffix>` is already in the URL
2. If not, it redirects to the same URL with `?view=<suffix>` appended
3. Shopify loads the alternate template and renders the page normally
4. The redirect happens before the page is visible to the visitor — no flash

Control visitors are never redirected — they see the default template.

***

## Supported template types

| Template type | Applies to URLs matching |
| ------------- | ------------------------ |
| product       | `/products/*`            |
| collection    | `/collections/*`         |
| page          | `/pages/*`               |
| index         | `/` (homepage only)      |
| blog          | `/blogs/<handle>`        |
| article       | `/blogs/<handle>/<slug>` |

***

## Setup

### Step 1: Duplicate your template file

Open your theme's code editor. In Shopify Admin, go to **Online Store → Themes** and click **Edit code** on your live theme (or use a local development setup).

Navigate to the `templates/` directory. Find the template you want to test:

* Product pages: `product.json`
* Collection pages: `collection.json`
* Regular pages: `page.json`
* Homepage: `index.json`

Click the template file to open it, then click **...** and select **Duplicate** (or copy the file contents and create a new file manually).

Name the new file by appending a suffix after the type:

* `product.json` → `product.my-test.json`
* `collection.json` → `collection.new-layout.json`
* `page.json` → `page.redesign.json`

The suffix (`my-test`, `new-layout`, `redesign`) is what you will enter in Arktic. It can be any lowercase letters, numbers, or hyphens.

<Warning>
  Do not use spaces or special characters in your suffix. Stick to lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens. The suffix becomes a URL parameter, so `product.My Test.json` would break URLs.
</Warning>

### Step 2: Customise the duplicate template

Go to **Online Store → Themes → Customize** and open the template dropdown at the top center of the Theme Editor. Select your new alternate template (e.g. **Products / my-test**).

Make your layout changes:

* Rearrange sections by dragging
* Add new sections from the section library
* Remove sections
* Change block content and settings within sections

**Save** when done.

### Step 3: Create the experiment in Arktic

1. Go to **Experiments → New experiment**
2. Select **Template** as the experiment type
3. Choose the **template type** (Product, Collection, Page, etc.)
4. The **variant template** dropdown will populate with all alternate templates found in your live theme — select the one you just created
5. Set your traffic split and segment (if applicable)
6. Click **Create experiment**

### Step 4: Start the experiment

The Control variant is automatically configured to use the default template — no setup needed.

The Variant B configuration is pre-filled with the alternate template view name you selected. Click **Start experiment** on the Overview tab.

***

## How routing is scoped

Template tests only apply redirects on matching page types. A product template test does not affect collection pages or the homepage.

If a visitor is assigned to a product template test and navigates to a collection page, they see the default collection template. When they navigate back to a product page, they see the alternate product template.

The `?view=` parameter is applied on navigation — not stored in the assignment cookie. Each product page load checks whether the parameter is in the URL and adds it if not.

***

## Multiple template tests

You can run multiple template tests simultaneously as long as they are for different template types. For example:

* A product template test and a collection template test can run at the same time without conflict
* Two simultaneous product template tests will conflict (both will try to append `?view=...` to product URLs)

***

## Comparing to Theme tests

|                          | Template test                         | Theme test                               |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Scope                    | One page type only                    | Every page on the store                  |
| What changes             | Sections and layout for that template | Entire theme (styles, JS, all templates) |
| Requires code access     | Yes (to duplicate template file)      | No                                       |
| Simultaneous with others | Yes (different page types)            | One at a time                            |
| Shopify mechanism        | `?view=suffix`                        | `?preview_theme_id=id`                   |

Use a Template test when you want to redesign a specific page type. Use a Theme test when you want to compare two complete design systems.

***

## Notes and edge cases

**Shopify fallback behaviour**
If Shopify cannot find the alternate template file, it falls back to the default template silently. This means a misconfigured test (wrong suffix, deleted file) will not break the page — it will just show the default template for all visitors. Check that the file exists in your theme code if the variant is not applying.

**The `?view=` parameter persists on navigation**
When a visitor on the alternate template navigates to another page of the same type (e.g. from one product to another), the `?view=` parameter is preserved in the URL if they navigate via links that include it. The Arktic script re-applies `?view=` on every product page load, so even if the parameter is dropped, it is added back.

**Theme Editor shows alternate template in preview**
When you open the alternate template in the Theme Editor, changes you make are isolated to that template. They do not affect the default template. This is expected behaviour.

**Do not delete the alternate template while the experiment is running**
If you delete the template file, variant visitors will fall back to the default template — effectively seeing the control experience. Shopify does not error when the template is missing; it silently falls back.