A toggle is a simple user interface control that lets people switch between two opposing values that affect the state of content or a view. It’s a great way to manage states without making users choose from a list of options, but it can be confusing for some people, especially when the colors aren’t chosen correctly. That’s why it’s important to always use direct labels, standard visual design, and deliver immediate results when using toggle switches.
Toggles are typically used to update preferences and settings, but can also be used to control aspects of a website or app that are normally hidden or unavailable. For example, toggles can be used to hide or display email addresses in comments. They can also be used to limit the number of images or videos in an article. By providing easy access to these features, toggles can help users get the most value from a long page while still giving them control over their experience.
While toggles can be useful, it’s important to avoid overusing them. This will make the interface more cluttered and harder to understand, which can confuse the user and reduce their satisfaction with the experience. Additionally, it’s important to be careful about the language you use to describe a toggle — “on” and “off” are obvious, but other terms like “active” or “inactive” can be confusing to some users.
Moreover, it’s best to avoid color for feature flag configurations unless absolutely necessary. This is because a good portion of the population has red/green color blindness, and using green for on and red for off can be difficult for these users to interpret. This is why it’s best to follow the guidance of WCAG that suggests you shouldn’t rely on only color to convey meaning.
As an application grows in size and complexity the use of feature toggles will increase and it becomes critical to have a central place to manage these configurations. Kameleoon can help with this by enabling teams to create, update and remove feature toggles all in one place. By moving toggle configuration out of static files and into a centralized repository, it’s easier for teams to maintain consistency across all deployments and avoid technical debt. Having this level of visibility into a feature flag repository is crucial for teams to stay on top of their development workflow and ensure that all users are receiving the most up-to-date versions of an application.
