/ Services — AI engineering & guardrails ( 09 )
Build faster with AI. Without the mess.
Your team is already using Claude, Codex or Sidekick on the theme. We set up the repo, workflows and safeguards that let them move fast without turning your store into a mess, then train them on what AI can safely touch and what should come to us.
How it starts
A call about your setup
Typical timeline
2–4 weeks
How we bill
Fixed fee, agreed up front
/ What we set up ( 06 )
Guardrails first, then speed.
01
Version control
Git and GitHub set up properly, with branches and code review on every change.
02
Safe places to work
Development themes, staging and Shopify CLI, so nobody edits the live theme.
03
AI access
MCP access, Claude and Codex workflows, and permissions scoped to what each tool should touch.
04
Instructions for the agent
AGENTS.md, DESIGN.md, theme architecture notes and conventions the AI actually follows.
05
Automated checks
Testing, linting and Shopify Theme Check, run before anything merges.
06
Release safety
A release process with backups, rollback and production safeguards.
Then we train your ecommerce and development people on two lists: what AI can safely touch, and what should come to Signature Works.
/ Fit
Who this is for.
Teams already getting value from AI on the store, who want to keep the speed without the risk.
( Worth it if… )
+Someone on your team edits the theme with Claude, Codex or ChatGPT
+Changes go straight to the live theme today
+There’s no Git history, review or rollback
+You want your team doing more themselves, safely
( Not yet if… )
–Nobody on your side will touch the code. Technical ownership fits better
–You want AI to replace engineering judgement entirely
–You’re mid-rebuild and the theme is about to change
Not sure how risky your current setup is? Tell us how your team uses AI today. We’ll tell you honestly.
/ How it runs
Audit, set up, train, hand over.
A few weeks, then your team carries on with guardrails in place.
01
Week 1
Audit
How your team works today, where AI already touches the theme, and what could break.
02
Weeks 1–2
Set up
Repo, branches, development themes, CLI, MCP access, agent instructions, checks and the release process.
03
Weeks 2–3
Train
Hands-on sessions with your ecommerce and dev people: what AI can safely touch, and what should come to us.
04
Weeks 3–4
Hand over
Documentation, a release checklist, and the first few releases shipped together until it’s routine.
On every project, in writing: [ You see the work as it happens ] [ A short note every Friday ] [ Founder on every call ] [ Everything in your accounts ] Why we work this way →
/ Deliverables
What you end up with.
Fixed fee, agreed before we start. Everything lives in your accounts.
Want someone senior reviewing what ships afterwards? That’s technical ownership.
01Git and GitHub, set up properly
02Development themes
03A branching model
04Shopify CLI
05MCP access
06Claude and Codex workflows
07Scoped permissions
08Theme architecture instructions
09AGENTS.md
10DESIGN.md
11Written conventions
12Testing
13Linting
14Shopify Theme Check
15A release process
16Backup and rollback
17Code review
18Staging
19Production safeguards
/ In plain terms
AI Shopify engineering, explained
AI tools are now genuinely good at Shopify theme work. They write Liquid, build sections and fix CSS faster than most people can type. The problem isn’t the code they write. It’s everything around it. Without version control, nobody can see what changed. Without a development theme, every experiment happens in front of customers. Without instructions, the agent invents its own conventions each time, and the theme slowly turns into something nobody can maintain.
Guardrails fix that. The agent works on a branch, against a development theme, following written instructions about how your theme is built. Automated checks and Shopify Theme Check catch mistakes before review. A release process means every change can be rolled back. Your team keeps the speed. Anything that needs real Shopify engineering, like checkout, integrations or complex commerce logic, comes to us.
/ FAQ ( 09 )
What people ask before starting.
Which AI tools do you work with?
Claude, Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT, Cursor and Shopify Sidekick. The guardrails are the same whichever tool your team prefers.
Do we need developers on staff?
No. Many teams we set up are led by an ecommerce manager. We set things up so they can work safely, and we’re clear about where their limits should be.
What is AGENTS.md?
A file in your theme repository that tells AI tools how your theme is built: its structure, its conventions and what not to touch. It’s the difference between an agent that follows your rules and one that guesses.
Is giving AI access to our store safe?
With scoped permissions, yes. Each tool gets what it needs, like a development theme or read-only data, and nothing that can change production directly.
What happens after setup?
Your team carries on. Some clients add technical ownership so a senior Shopify engineer reviews what ships.
Using AI on the theme already and not sure how exposed you are? Ask us.
/ Next
Using AI on your theme already?
Tell us how your team works and what you’re worried about breaking.
Also worth a look: Technical ownership · Store audits · Custom apps & features