Toggle is a term used to describe a button or switch that allows you to select between two options or states. It is commonly found in everyday technology and computing devices to enable users to control features like WiFi and Bluetooth(r) or switch between different display modes on a computer screen. The concept of toggle is also used in programming and software applications to provide a way for users to change settings or options, for example the ability to enable or disable certain functions.
When using toggles in your application it is important to remember that they always fire mutually exclusive events. They can be used in place of dropdowns, radio buttons and checkboxes but they are most effective when you have only two options. Also it is important to ensure that your toggles are labelled correctly and clearly as they may cause confusion for some users.
The most common use of toggles in web applications is to allow users to update their preferences, settings or other types of information. This can be done via a form, a list or a simple list of options. Toggle switches help to minimize scrolling, can be used in conjunction with other form elements and can help users find what they need quickly and easily.
Adding toggles to your application helps to improve accessibility for all users, regardless of what type of device they are using. Toggles are also a great way to allow developers to test new features without impacting the existing experience or risking regressions. By enabling and disabling features through toggles it is possible to test different options and find the one that works best for your audience.
A great feature of toggles is their ability to be re-configured without the need to change any code in production. This is especially useful when working with Ops Toggles. There are a number of ways to manage this configuration, ranging from static commenting through to more advanced approaches that use a preprocessors #ifdef or other techniques for managing dynamic re-configuration.
Another great use of toggles is to perform multivariate or A/B testing in a live production environment. By using a toggle router you can easily send each user down one of many different code paths to see what effect it has on performance or conversions. This allows us to make data-driven improvements on our website or application much faster than would be possible with more traditional waterfall development models.
When developing your application it is important to consider the benefits of using toggles and how they can be re-configured, tested and deployed at scale. This will help to minimise the amount of time spent on managing these features and ensure that they can be rolled out and made available to your users as quickly and reliably as possible.
