Perfecting Your Store's Look: How to Justify Text in Shopify (and Why It Matters)

Why Justified Text Matters (and How to Get It Right in Shopify)

Hey everyone! Ever notice how some websites just look… cleaner? A lot of times, it comes down to the details, like text justification. I was browsing the Shopify Community the other day and saw a thread started by RoccoGough titled "How to justify text on my store", and it got me thinking about this often-overlooked aspect of web design.

Rocco was having trouble getting the text on their store, https://waxrecords.net/, to justify. They'd tried adding { text-align: justify; } to their base.css file, but no luck. Sounds familiar? Let's dive into how to tackle this!

Understanding the Problem: CSS Specificity and Theme Overrides

The core issue here, as pointed out in the thread, is CSS specificity. When you add a general rule like text-align: justify; to base.css, it should theoretically apply to all text on your site. However, Shopify themes often have more specific CSS rules that override this general rule. Think of it like this: a general instruction gets ignored if there's a more detailed instruction telling the browser what to do.

Chellasmith in the thread mentioned that "This happens because adding text-align: justify; globally usually gets overridden by theme-specific selectors." This is spot on!

Solutions: Targeting Your Text with Precision

So, how do you overcome this? Here's a breakdown of approaches based on the community discussion and my own experience:

1. Inspect Element and Find the Right Selector

The first step is to identify the CSS selector that's controlling the text you want to justify. Here's how:

1. Right-click on the text in your browser and select "Inspect" (or "Inspect Element").
2. Look at the HTML and CSS in the inspector panel. You're looking for the CSS rule that's currently setting the text-align property.
3. Once you find the selector (e.g., .section-below-new-arrivals p), you can use it to apply the text-align: justify; style.

Rocco mentioned wanting to justify the text "just below the ‘new arrivals’ section where it says ‘how are records are graded’". Using the inspector, you'd need to find the exact CSS class or ID associated with that specific section.

2. Adding Custom CSS in the Theme Editor

Once you have the correct selector, you can add the custom CSS to your theme. Here's how:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
2. Click "Customize" on the theme you want to edit.
3. Click the three dots in the upper left corner, then "Edit code".
4. Find the theme.scss.liquid or similar CSS file.
5. Add your custom CSS rule at the bottom of the file, making sure to use the correct selector:

.your-specific-selector {
 text-align: justify;
}

Replace .your-specific-selector with the actual selector you found in the inspector.

3. Using the !important Declaration (Use with Caution!)

If you're still having trouble overriding the existing styles, you can try using the !important declaration. This forces your style to take precedence over other styles. However, it's generally best to avoid using !important unless absolutely necessary, as it can make your CSS harder to maintain in the long run.

.your-specific-selector {
 text-align: justify !important;
}

Important: Only use !important as a last resort. Try to find a more specific selector first.

4. Addressing Theme-Specific Quirks (Like Horizon)

Rocco mentioned they were using the Horizon theme. Some themes have unique CSS structures or JavaScript that can interfere with your styling. If you're using a specific theme, it's always a good idea to check its documentation or search the Shopify Community for solutions specific to that theme.

In Rocco's case, knowing they were using Horizon might help someone familiar with that theme pinpoint the exact CSS rules that were causing the issue.

Key Takeaways and Tips

• Specificity is key: Understand how CSS specificity works to effectively override existing styles.
• Inspect, inspect, inspect: Use your browser's developer tools to identify the correct CSS selectors.
• Be mindful of theme overrides: Shopify themes often have their own CSS rules that can interfere with your styling.
• Use !important sparingly: It's a powerful tool, but can make your CSS harder to maintain.
• Test thoroughly: After making changes, test your site on different devices and browsers to ensure everything looks as expected.

Ultimately, getting your text justified in Shopify is about understanding how CSS works and how your theme is structured. By using the techniques outlined above, you should be able to achieve the look you're after. Happy styling!