A toggle is a switch with two positions, on or off. It is used in technology, computing, programming, and communication to provide a way for users to change settings and modes. When designing interfaces, toggle switches should be used sparingly and only when necessary to manage state changes. They should be clearly labeled and have a standard visual design to ensure consistency across platforms. They should also be designed with cultural and societal context in mind as well.
A feature toggle is a configuration flag that allows developers to dynamically update and control specific services. This can be useful in a number of situations, for example, when a new version of an application needs to be rolled out with the minimum of impact on existing users. Feature toggles are typically configured using static files but as an application scales modifying these becomes cumbersome and it is difficult to ensure consistency across deployment servers. In these cases a more robust solution is required such as a centralized feature flag management system or even better a fully integrated admin UI.
The term toggle comes from the word toggle which means to bind something temporarily. A common use of this is to fasten a chain with a toggle pin, which is pushed through a loop or eye to tie it. It is also used to refer to a button with two states (on or off) or a small rod-shaped piece of material that is sewn to clothing and pushed through a loop, eye, or frog on a garment in order to fasten it. The term can also refer to a feature in an application which can be turned on and off, for example the visibility toggle which enables a world owner to hide or reveal certain aspects of their world to other viewers.
Savvy teams view the Feature Toggle as inventory that has a carrying cost and try to keep this inventory low. This can be achieved by regularly adding a task to the team’s backlog to remove outdated and unused toggles. This helps reduce technical debt and maintain a clean codebase for future development. This process is often aided by using a Feature Flag Management Platform like Kameleoon which provides a central repository of feature flags and their configuration which can be easily managed. This makes it easier to identify which flags need to be changed, and when to apply them.
