return

Returns a value from a function or sends a response from HTTP, shipping-rate and function scripts. Stops script execution immediately after returning.

{% json response %}
  {
    "success": true,
    "message": "Operation completed"
  }
{% endjson %}

{% return response %}

Syntax

{% return value %}

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
value	Yes	The value to return (variable, object, string, number, etc.)

Behavior

• Immediately stops script execution

• Sets the return value accessible to the caller

• In functions: the returned value is output where the function was called

• In HTTP scripts: the returned value becomes the response body

• In shipping-rate scripts: the returned value defines the shipping rates

• Only one value can be returned

Examples

Return from a function:

{% comment %} Function: calculate_discount {% endcomment %}
{% assign discount = total | times: 0.1 %}
{% return discount %}

{% comment %} Calling the function {% endcomment %}
{% capture result %}{% function "calculate_discount", total: 100 %}{% endcapture %}
{% log "Discount: " | append: result %}
{% comment %} Output: Discount: 10 {% endcomment %}

Return an object from a function:

{% comment %} Function: validate_order {% endcomment %}
{% if order.total > 0 and order.email != blank %}
  {% json result %}
    {
      "valid": true,
      "errors": []
    }
  {% endjson %}
{% else %}
  {% json result %}
    {
      "valid": false,
      "errors": ["Invalid order data"]
    }
  {% endjson %}
{% endif %}

{% return result %}

Return simple values:

{% comment %} Return a string {% endcomment %}
{% return "success" %}

{% comment %} Return a number {% endcomment %}
{% assign total = items | size %}
{% return total %}

{% comment %} Return a boolean {% endcomment %}
{% if customer.vip %}
  {% return true %}
{% else %}
  {% return false %}
{% endif %}

HTTP script response:

{% comment %} Return JSON response for HTTP endpoint {% endcomment %}
{% json response %}
  {
    "status": "ok",
    "data": {
      "order_id": {{ order.id }},
      "processed": true,
      "timestamp": "{{ 'now' | date: '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ' }}"
    }
  }
{% endjson %}

{% return response %}

Shipping rates response:

{% json rates %}
  {
    "rates": [
      {% if cart.total_weight < 1000 %}
      {
        "service_name": "Standard Shipping",
        "service_code": "standard",
        "total_price": 500,
        "currency": "{{ shop.currency }}",
        "description": "5-7 business days"
      },
      {% endif %}
      {
        "service_name": "Express Shipping",
        "service_code": "express",
        "total_price": 1500,
        "currency": "{{ shop.currency }}",
        "description": "1-2 business days"
      }
    ]
  }
{% endjson %}

{% return rates %}

Early return with validation:

{% comment %} Function: process_order {% endcomment %}

{% comment %} Validate input {% endcomment %}
{% if order == blank %}
  {% json error %}
    {"error": "Order is required"}
  {% endjson %}
  {% return error %}
{% endif %}

{% if order.line_items.size == 0 %}
  {% json error %}
    {"error": "Order has no items"}
  {% endjson %}
  {% return error %}
{% endif %}

{% comment %} Process the order... {% endcomment %}
{% assign processed = true %}

{% json success %}
  {
    "success": true,
    "order_id": {{ order.id }}
  }
{% endjson %}

{% return success %}

Conditional return based on logic:

{% comment %} Function: get_customer_tier {% endcomment %}

{% if customer.total_spent > 10000 %}
  {% return "platinum" %}
{% elsif customer.total_spent > 5000 %}
  {% return "gold" %}
{% elsif customer.total_spent > 1000 %}
  {% return "silver" %}
{% else %}
  {% return "bronze" %}
{% endif %}

Return array data:

{% comment %} Function: get_product_skus {% endcomment %}
{% json skus %}[]{% endjson %}

{% for item in order.line_items %}
  {% push skus, item.sku %}
{% endfor %}

{% return skus %}

Return with computed values:

{% comment %} Function: calculate_order_summary {% endcomment %}
{% assign subtotal = 0 %}
{% assign item_count = 0 %}

{% for item in order.line_items %}
  {% assign line_total = item.price | times: item.quantity %}
  {% assign subtotal = subtotal | plus: line_total %}
  {% assign item_count = item_count | plus: item.quantity %}
{% endfor %}

{% assign tax = subtotal | times: 0.08 %}
{% assign total = subtotal | plus: tax %}

{% json summary %}
  {
    "subtotal": {{ subtotal }},
    "tax": {{ tax }},
    "total": {{ total }},
    "item_count": {{ item_count }}
  }
{% endjson %}

{% return summary %}

Use Cases

Context	Purpose
Functions	Return computed values to the calling script
HTTP Scripts	Send response body to the HTTP caller
Shipping Rate Scripts	Define available shipping rates and prices

Notes

• Only one argument is allowed - you cannot return multiple values directly

• To return multiple values, wrap them in an object using the json tag

• Script execution stops immediately after return - code after it won't run

• If no return is called in a function, the function returns null

• For complex responses, always use json tag to structure the data

• The returned value from functions is a string - use | parse_json if you need to access object properties in the caller