Toggle is a feature that allows users to switch between different states or options. This can be used to provide flexibility in user interfaces or it can be applied to more complex systems such as web applications or ecommerce platforms. Often toggles are designed as buttons or switches and their use can be highly effective when designing user interfaces. Toggles are widely used in modern technology but they are not without their drawbacks. They can add a layer of complexity when testing and they are sometimes difficult to understand at a glance. In many cases toggles may be more effective when used to enable a more gradual release of changes to a system. This is often referred to as Champagne Brunch release and provides a useful tool for companies to practice progressive delivery.
Toggles can also be a useful mechanism for running experiments. They can be used to split a cohort of users into two groups and then run a multivariate or A/B test to see which codepath performs better. This can be a powerful way to make data-driven improvements to anything from the purchase flow of an ecommerce platform to the Call To Action wording on a button.
The key to successful toggles is clear visibility of the current state. Toggles should have high-contrast colors that clearly signal their state, and it is also a good idea to use text or other visual cues next to toggles to add some context to their meaning. When using toggles on complex UIs, it is a good idea to use a processing status loop animation to show the user the current state of the toggle while it is changing.
While static configuration of toggles is preferable there are some situations, such as Ops Toggles, where a more dynamic approach is required. One option is to hardcode the toggle configuration in the application code. This can be done by using a preprocessor feature such as #ifdef. However this approach has a number of drawbacks, such as adding complexity and the inability to re-configure a toggle after it is deployed.
To avoid the drawbacks of the hardcoded approach, a more sophisticated approach is to use a dedicated feature flag management system such as Split. By providing a way to manage the configuration of feature flags in a more dynamic and efficient manner Split can help teams reduce their MTTR, increase their releases and give them the confidence they need to move fast while protecting existing functionality. If you would like to learn more about how Split can empower your team to deploy feature toggles quickly and safely please schedule a demo.
