Feature Flags
Summary
Feature flags, also known as feature toggles, are a technique used in software development to enable and disable features or functionality in an application or service. By selectively enabling or disabling features, developers can release new features or changes to a subset of users, control the availability of features, and mitigate risk during deployments.
Details
Feature flags are typically implemented using conditional logic in the code, which determines whether a feature should be enabled or disabled based on a set of criteria. The criteria can include user roles, environment variables, or other conditions.
There are several types of feature flags, including:
- Release flags: Enable or disable features for a particular release.
- Experiment flags: Control the availability of experimental features for a subset of users.
- Permission flags: Determine which users have access to certain features.
- Operational flags: Control the availability of features based on the state of the system, such as disabling features during maintenance or high traffic periods.
Feature flags can be implemented using various techniques, including configuration files, environment variables, or a dedicated feature flag service.
Related Concepts
- Design Patterns
- Release Management MOC
- A/B testing
- Canary releases
- Dark launches
- Continuous delivery
- Continuous integration