A toggle is a button that switches between two possible states (for example, “on” and “off”). It’s most often used for binary actions that occur immediately after the user “flips the switch”.
In technology, programming, and computing, the term toggle refers to a simple way to enable users to change settings or modes. Toggle switches are used in most types of software and electronic devices where users can choose from a set of options. Toggles are a common part of many user interfaces (UI) because they allow users to update their preferences and settings quickly. In contrast to radio buttons and checkboxes, toggles provide a clear visual indication of whether an option is selected or not.
Toggles are a valuable component for providing control in any web application, but they can be tricky to use properly. Toggle elements need to be clearly labeled and provide immediate results, but they also must be easy for the user to understand and manipulate. To avoid confusion, toggles should be kept small and simple, with clear action text and an icon that illustrates the state of the toggle.
There are many different ways to implement a toggle and it’s important to choose the right approach for your particular project. The simplest option is to hardcode the configuration of a toggle in the code, usually using a preprocessor’s #ifdef feature or similar functionality. While this method provides the most flexibility, it’s also the most difficult to maintain and scale.
Another popular option is to use a library to manage the toggle’s state. This provides a more scalable and flexible solution, but can be expensive to implement and requires a commitment to regularly update the library. In many cases, the benefits of this type of system outweigh the costs.
Savvy teams take a proactive approach to managing their toggle inventory. They often include a task on their backlog to remove toggles that have been deprecated or no longer needed. Some teams even go as far as to set an expiration date for their toggles, ensuring that they’re removed before they can cause production issues.
Toggles can be useful for validating features with a subset of users before rolling them out to the entire user base. For example, an e-commerce company might decide to test whether an algorithm B is more effective than algorithm A for their annual sale. They can then put the toggle behind a feature flag and deploy that change to a portion of their audience before making it available to all users. This helps reduce the risk that a new feature will be unpopular or have unintended consequences. It’s a key element of the Continuous Deployment practice.
