A toggle is a switch that allows users to change between two different states or options. It’s commonly used in technology, computing, programming, and communications to provide a simple way for people to update settings or modes on their devices. A toggle switch can be activated or deactivated by clicking or pressing it.

Toggles are typically found in the form of a button or checkbox. They should be placed in places where they can deliver immediate results to the user. They should be easy to understand, with clear and direct labels that clearly describe the toggle’s function. They should also be easily identifiable by color, shape, or other visual cues. A toggle switch should never require a Save or Confirm button to apply changes, as this can add unnecessary friction and confusion.

Feature toggles are a key tool for running A/B tests on websites and apps. They bucket users into groups so that you can test the impact of a new feature in a real-world environment without risking the experience of your entire user base. Toggles allow you to enable features for specific segments of your audience and then remotely roll back the feature if necessary.

When designing a website or app with toggles, it’s important to consider the effect that they will have on your users’ experiences and conversions. A common mistake is to design a page or section with toggles that affect more than one aspect of the experience. For example, if you have an article with a map and an article preview, then it is important to consider how the toggle will impact both of these experiences. To avoid confusion for your users, it’s recommended to design each toggle so that it affects only one aspect of the experience.

Toggles can be used to hide sections of an article while a reader is viewing the page. This is an easy way for readers to find the content that is most relevant to them and can help reduce distractions on the page. Toggles are not the only option for hiding content; other tools include secrets and subscriber containers.

Many developers use feature toggles to test code fixes in a production environment before pushing them to live. However, it is important to decide whether to create a toggle for each bug fix on a case-by-case basis. A toggle can cause new behavior to emerge that may be unwelcome or worsen existing bugs.

Toggle management is a vital part of any product team’s toolkit. A feature flag management platform like Kameleoon can help your teams organize and manage their toggles in a single, central location. This can help them reduce technical debt by removing toggles that have served their purpose. It’s also helpful to ensure that all your teams are using the same language for toggles so that they can be managed as a unit and pushed to production in a consistent manner. This can improve consistency and reduce time to market.