Liquid Cycle Tag

Using Cycle Tag

Liquid cycle tag alternates values in Shopify loops for styling.

Introduction to Liquid Cycle Tag

The Liquid cycle tag is a powerful tool used within Shopify's Liquid templating language. It allows developers to alternate between a set of predefined values during each iteration of a loop. This is particularly useful for styling purposes, such as applying alternating CSS classes to items in a list or grid layout. By leveraging the cycle tag, you can create visually appealing and consistent designs without repetitive code.

Basic Syntax of the Cycle Tag

The syntax for the cycle tag is straightforward. You specify the values to cycle through, separated by commas:

In this example, each iteration of the loop will output one of the specified values in sequence.

Using Cycle Tag for Alternating Styles

One of the most common uses of the cycle tag is to alternate CSS classes for styling elements. This can be particularly handy when you want to apply different styles to even and odd items in a list.

In this example, the cycle tag alternates between 'even' and 'odd' classes for each product in the list, allowing for distinct styling of alternating products.

Advanced Usage with Named Cycles

Liquid allows for named cycles, which can be reused throughout your template without interfering with other cycles. This is particularly useful when you have multiple loops on a single page and want to ensure that their cycle tags operate independently.

In the above example, the cycle tags are named product_cycle and category_cycle. This ensures that the cycles do not interfere with each other, allowing for independent cycling in different parts of the template.

Conclusion

The Liquid cycle tag is a versatile tool in Shopify's Liquid language, offering a simple yet effective way to introduce variation and consistency in your designs. By using cycles, you can maintain clean and manageable code while achieving complex styling requirements.