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Breeze: transform your Magento 2 store's frontend

If you’re a Magento 2 store owner seeking to enhance your store’s performance, Breeze is a high-performance frontend JavaScript stack designed to enhance M2 experience. 

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Paul Ryazanov

CEO, MageCloud | eCommerce Consultant & Speaker

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Magento 2 is a leading e-commerce platform known for its robust features, but its default frontend can be slow and outdated, impacting SEO, conversions, and customer satisfaction.

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the need for swift, efficient ecommerce websites has never been more critical.

The Magento 2 Breeze Theme addresses these issues by offering a faster, lighter, and more modern frontend solution.

Next-gen speed: evolution of Magento 2 templates

Whether you’re a seasoned eCommerce veteran or just starting out, navigating the world of Magento frontends can be daunting. One of the most common dilemmas faced by Magento webshop owners is choosing the right frontend solution. This decision holds significant weight as it impacts everything from features to loading speed. 

Just a few years ago, the answer to this question was far simpler: custom or Luma. While both options have their merits, the lack of variety left much to be desired. Thanks to the tireless efforts of skilled developers, today, the question “Which Magento frontend to choose?” requires searching through and analysing a wide variety of alternatives, including PWA and headless solutions. 

In the realm of Magento 2 stores, alternative frontends have emerged as key players in delivering exceptional speed and performance.

  • 1. Hyva,  positioned as a PWA-compliant solution but functioning as yet another alternative frontend for Magento 2. Launched in 2021 by its creator Willem Wigman, Hyva adopts a unique approach by eliminating RequireJS, Knockout, and UI components in favor of Tailwind CSS and Alpine.js. This strategic shift not only reduces the number of JS files but also minimizes network requests, aligning with the mantra that less is more. With an emphasis on reduced complexity, reliability, and simplicity, Hyva emerges as a formidable contender in the quest for speed.

    Check out Hyvä Themes: user guide for Magento 2 merchants → 
  • 2. Alpaca, developed by Snowdog, is an open-source Magento 2 frontend based on Magento’s SASS-based blank theme. It ensures compatibility with most Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce features and supports third-party modules out of the box. With a custom Alpaca JS format, Alpaca prioritizes accessibility and meets WCAG AA standards. Although its performance scores are slightly lower than some alternatives, Alpaca’s focus on inclusivity and user experience makes it an attractive option for businesses committed to accessibility.
  • 3. Breeze frontend, a free offering from a leading Magento development agency based in Geneva, Switzerland. Launched in 2021, Breeze has quickly gained traction as a high-performance option for Magento 2 stores. With impeccable performance grades on both desktop and mobile devices, Breeze sets a new standard for frontend excellence. Its success lies in a unique approach that replaces the Luma technology with a drop-in replacement for the Luma js stack. By rewriting CSS using LESS and optimizing layout and template files, Breeze ensures seamless integration with Magento 2 products. Boasting five designs built atop the Breeze Blank theme, including three free options, Breeze offers a plethora of features such as Single Page Application (SPA) support, image preload, and built-in critical CSS splitting, among others.

In this article, we cover the Breeze frontend solution.

What is the Magento 2 Breeze Theme?

The Magento 2 Breeze Theme is a frontend enhancement featuring a module and a theme designed to improve performance. The module replaces Magento 2’s default JavaScript stack with an optimized version, speeding up script evaluation and page load times. The theme is built from the ground up, incorporating features like critical and deferred CSS splitting, responsive images, RTL support, and keyboard navigation. Unlike other themes, Breeze does not use the Luma or Blank themes as its base, adhering to its unique design and layout principles.

Developed by SwissUpLabs, a UK-based Magento e-commerce service provider, the Magento 2 Breeze Theme is available for free on their website, complete with documentation and live demos. It is compatible with Magento 2.4.x and supports single-page application (SPA) functionality for quicker page transitions.

Why choose Breeze theme for your Magento 2 store?

Currently, live websites are harnessing the capabilities of Breeze Themes to optimize performance and elevate the user experience.

→ Fast Speed & Optimised Performance

Performance and speed optimization are integral to the Breeze theme, ensuring lightning-fast page load times. The Breeze theme is designed to maximise performance with its efficient coding and lightweight structure. 

The Breeze theme significantly reduces the number of JavaScript libraries and scripts loaded on each page, which in turn decreases script evaluation time and overall page load time.

According to SwissUpLabs, this optimization can make your store up to three times faster than the default Luma theme.

For example, on a product page, the Breeze theme loads only 1.1 MB of JS files compared to 3.4 MB for the Luma theme, resulting in a page load time of 1.9 seconds for Breeze versus 5.7 seconds for Luma.

→ Better SEO Ranking

The Breeze theme follows SEO best practices, including clean code (by optimizing CSS delivery, preloading images), fast page loading times, and mobile friendliness, thus boosting Google PageSpeed Insights scores. 

It also supports schema.org markup for improved search engine visibility.

On a category page, for instance, the Breeze theme achieves a Google PageSpeed Insights score of 97 for mobile and 100 for desktop, compared to Luma’s scores of 40 for mobile and 76 for desktop.

This improvement can help your site rank higher on Google and attract more organic traffic.

→ Improved User Experience

Designed with the user at its core, the Breeze theme features an intuitive and streamlined interface.  Visitors can easily navigate your online store, locate products, and complete purchases. 

  • Responsive Design: In today’s mobile-centric commerce landscape, a responsive website is non-negotiable. The Breeze theme guarantees seamless performance and aesthetics across all devices, from smartphones to tablets.
  • Sleek and Minimalistic Aesthetic: With its clean and minimalist design, the theme allows your products to take center stage. By minimizing clutter and distractions, customers can focus solely on their shopping journey.
  • Streamlined Navigation: Enhanced navigation features, including well-organised menus and user-friendly filters, make it easier for customers to explore and find desired items swiftly. For instance, the checkout page provides a simple, intuitive layout that guides users through the payment process, enhancing user experience and fostering customer loyalty.
  • Dynamic Product Showcasing: Breeze excels at presenting your products attractively, with visually appealing product listings and detailed product pages. Clear product imagery and concise descriptions enhance the overall shopping experience.
  • Personalization Algorithms: The minimalist design of the Magento 2 Breeze theme provides an excellent backdrop for personalized shopping experiences. Leveraging personalisation algorithms can enhance user engagement and boost sales. Customise content and product offerings based on customer demographics, browsing history, and purchasing patterns. 
     

The emphasis on usability with Breeze leads to heightened customer satisfaction and amplified conversion rates.

→ Mobile Optimised

The Magento 2 Breeze theme offers a modern, responsive design that adapts to any device and screen size, ensuring an optimal experience for all users.  The Breeze theme ensures that your online store looks and functions perfectly on smartphones and tablets. This mobile friendliness can significantly expand your customer base.

→ Easy & Effortless Customisation

To distinguish your online business from the competition, a unique brand identity is essential. The Magento 2 Breeze theme offers extensive customisation options, allowing you to tailor the color scheme, typography, social icons, footer content, layout and overall design to match your brand identity, all from the admin panel. 

The Breeze theme offers extensive customization options, allowing you to tailor its color palette, typography, and layout to align perfectly with your brand’s identity.

  • Enhanced Product Page Layouts: The minimalist design of the Magento 2 Breeze theme provides an excellent backdrop for personalized shopping experiences. Leveraging personalisation algorithms can enhance user engagement and boost sales. Customise content and product offerings based on customer demographics, browsing history, and purchasing patterns.

Consider experimenting with various layout options, such as:

 

  • →  Tabbed Navigation: Organize product information into tabs to make navigation easier.
  • →  Product Demo Videos: Include videos to help customers make informed decisions.
  • →  Customer Reviews and Ratings: Display feedback and ratings directly on the product page.
  • →  Interactive Image Galleries: Showcase products from multiple angles with dynamic image galleries.
  •  

→ Seamless Integration:

Additionally, the theme seamlessly integrates with a wide range of third-party Magento 2 extensions and and modules, compatible with the Breeze module API, offering enhanced functionality and providing flexibility to tailor the theme to your specific needs. 

Additionally, the theme seamlessly integrates with a wide range of third-party Magento 2 extensions and and modules, compatible with the Breeze module API, offering enhanced functionality and providing flexibility to tailor the theme to your specific needs. 

Overall, the Magento 2 Breeze theme offers a blend of performance enhancements, SEO benefits, user experience improvements, and customization options, making it a compelling choice for any Magento store owner looking to optimize their site’s frontend.

 

Choose Breeze for a performance-driven, user-friendly, and future-proof Magento store experience.

Breeze Blank Theme VS Breeze Evolution Theme

The M2 Breeze Blank Theme and M2 Breeze Evolution Theme are both designed to enhance Magento 2 stores, but they cater to different needs and offer distinct features. Here’s a breakdown of their differences:

M2 Breeze Blank Theme

Overview:

  • → A minimalistic and lightweight theme designed to improve page loading times and overall performance.
  • Ideal for those looking for a simple, yet efficient theme that provides a solid foundation for further customization.

Key feautures

  • Standalone Theme: Breeze Blank theme does not use the Luma or Blank theme as its parent. 
  • Speed Optimization: Lightweight CSS and JS for faster load times. It uses a unique approach for better performance with critical CSS, written from scratch using LESS and compiled by Magento.
  • CSS Optimization: Achieves 13kB of critical CSS and 9kB for icons, animations, and effects. Custom properties allow for easy implementation of media queries.
  • Tailwind 3.0 Color Palette: Allows for easy color customization using a modern color palette.
  • Responsive Design: Mobile-friendly navigation, dark mode, touch-friendly elements, responsive images, and RTL support ensure accessibility and better search rankings.
  • Enhanced Frontend Performance:Supports single-page application (SPA) mode for quicker page transitions.
  • Free and Open Source: Available for free with free installation support.

Additional Benefits

  • Free installation
  • 10 activations Included
  • All extensions by Swissuplabs for $79

The M2 Breeze Blank Theme is a balanced mix of speed and design, ensuring a high-performing website that enhances user engagement and sales conversion rates.

M2 Breeze Evolution Theme

Overview:

  • An advanced and feature-rich theme built on the Breeze Blank foundation, designed for those who need more built-in functionalities and design options.
  • Ideal for businesses looking for a more sophisticated and visually appealing theme with enhanced capabilities.

Key feautures

  • Enhanced Design Options: Provides a richer set of design tools and customization options compared to the Breeze Blank Theme.
  • Pre-built Templates:Comes with a variety of pre-designed templates for different pages, reducing the need for custom design work.
  • Advanced SEO Tools: Includes more comprehensive SEO features to improve search engine rankings.
  • Improved Usability: Focuses on a more intuitive user interface with additional navigation and layout options.
  • Extended Integration:Offers better compatibility with third-party extensions and modules, making it easier to add new functionalities.
  • Premium Support: Often comes with premium support options and regular updates, ensuring your site stays current with the latest trends and security updates.
  • Paid Option: Generally available as a premium product with additional features and support.

Additional Benefits

  • Free installation
  • 10 activations Included
  • All extensions by Swissuplabs for $79

The M2 Breeze Blank Theme is a balanced mix of speed and design, ensuring a high-performing website that enhances user engagement and sales conversion rates.

Comparison Summary

  • Simplicity vs. Sophistication: Breeze Blank is minimalistic and performance-focused, while Breeze Evolution offers a richer feature set and more advanced design capabilities.
  • Customization: Breeze Evolution provides more built-in customization tools and templates, reducing the need for manual adjustments.
  • Performance: Both themes emphasize speed, but Breeze Blank is more lightweight, while Breeze Evolution balances performance with additional functionalities.
  • Cost: Breeze Blank is free, whereas Breeze Evolution is typically a paid theme with premium support and more frequent updates.

In essence, choose Breeze Blank if you need a fast, free, and basic foundation for your Magento store, and opt for Breeze Evolution if you want a more advanced, feature-rich theme with greater design flexibility and professional support.

Magento 2 Breeze theme: installation guide

Installing the Magento website development Breeze theme is a straightforward process, but ensuring a seamless transition requires careful adherence to the following steps:

  1. Purchase and Download: Begin by acquiring the Magento 2 Breeze theme from a trusted vendor. Once the transaction is complete, download the theme files.

2. Access Admin Panel: Navigate to the Magento 2 admin interface and log in to your account.

3. Upload Theme Files: Proceed to the “Content” section and select “Themes.” Upload the downloaded theme files by clicking on “Add New Theme” and submitting them.

4. Apply the Breeze theme: In the “Design Configuration” area, designate your shop view after the upload process. Choose the Breeze theme to apply it to your store’s design.

5. Save Changes: Save your configuration settings to activate the Breeze theme on your online shop.

Following these steps diligently ensures a smooth installation process for the Magento 2 Breeze theme.

Breeze development by MageCloud

The MageCloud Magento 2 developers express their enthusiasm for working with the Breeze, praising its clarity, user-friendly interface, time-saving capabilities, and substantial value it brings to eCommerce businesses.

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Recap

In essence, the Breeze  frontend solution for Magento 2 is a game-changer for ecommerce sellers, keeping visitors engaged for over 10 minutes on average.

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