The toggle is a common user interface control that allows users to adjust a feature without changing the entire functionality of an application. It is often seen as a “glorified checkbox,” and is an ideal solution in cases where an application needs to provide users with more than one option, but does not require a complete change in the functionality of the program.
A toggle is usually a boolean variable that can be turned on and off at will. The toggle’s current state is checked whenever an event occurs, such as a button click. If the toggle is on, the event causes a different branch of code to run, while if it is off, the event is ignored. This allows developers to control the behavior of their program with great precision, and also enables developers to test specific parts of their software by turning on and off features.
Toggles are also useful tools for agile development processes. They allow teams to develop new features on code branches that are isolated from the rest of the application, so they can release new functionality as soon as it is ready, without waiting for a lengthy QA and testing process on code that has already been integrated into trunk. This can save significant time and money for a company, as they no longer have to wait until the whole feature is finished before the company can release it to their customers.
When using toggles, it is important to make sure that they are well-documented and easy for the user to understand. In general, it is good to avoid ambiguous labels and use visual cues (such as color changes) to indicate the current state of the toggle.
For example, if the toggle is on, it should be clearly marked as such with the word “on” or the word “off.” The color should be easy to see, and if possible, should contrast against the background so that users can easily identify it.
It is also important to keep in mind that toggles should be used sparingly and with care. As Adrian Roselli points out, they may be overused and can lead to an application that is difficult for the user to navigate or comprehend. Furthermore, the more toggles your application has, the greater the maintenance overhead that falls on your team. Therefore, it is important to decommission toggles as soon as their purpose has expired, either by adding code cleanup tasks to your team’s backlog or integrating that process into your management platform.
Another common problem with toggles is that they are often inaccessible to people who rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies. It is crucial to maintain a consistent design style and to implement accessibility guidelines for all toggles, in order to make them as usable and accessible as possible. Ideally, toggles should use high-contrast colors, and they should not rely on color alone to convey state changes, as this can be confusing for users with vision impairments.
