How to Use Feature Flags

Episode Breakdown

• 10:55 What are Feature Flags

  “The basic idea is to have a configuration file that defines a bunch of toggles for various features you have pending. The running application then uses these toggles in order to decide whether or not to show the new feature.” ~ Martin Fowler

  Feature flags also known as toggles are switches in code that grant or deny access to different features of an app. They make it so that features in development or testing can be part of the overall app without making into the end user experience.

• 13:27 Types of Feature Flags

Feature flags can be divided into two basic categories; release toggles and business toggles. Release toggles are used when a new feature is under development or to roll out or roll in features. Business toggles restrict user access to areas of an app and can be based on user experience or payed accounts.

• 16:16 7 Lesser Known Uses of Feature Flags

  1. More than Just Boolean Statements

     Toggle state can be set statically or dynamically. Flags can be rule based toggles using XML, YAML, or JSON to define conditions for flipping the toggle.

  2. Enable Features for Specific Users

     In more long term usage feature flags can enable paygate or opt in options. They also allow unruly users to be blocked or restrict access based upon user experience level.

  3. Trial of New Features for a Sample Set

     Toggles allow for split or A/B testing and give the opportunity for early access to certain users. They can also be helpful when beta testing new features to allow users to opt in to the beta version.

  4. Internal Review of Features

     GitHub is a prime example of the use of internal review with their “staff mode” allowing staff access to features not yet in deployment. This allows the team to give feedback of the feature as it behaves in production.

  5. Scalable Roll Outs

     Scalability becomes an issue when rolling out new features. Toggles allow for phased roll outs to identify issues in scaling the feature.

  6. Maintenance

     Kill switches allow for features to be rolled back if issues arrise. Toggles may also be used to create a maintenance mode for updates and bug fixes.

  7. Sunset Old Features

     The prime way to do this is to toggle the feature off for any new users then slowly transition the current users to the new feature. Cell phone companies do this when changing their plans. When switching from free data to pay for data with limits many companies allowed existing customers to maintain their free data plans until they upgraded.

• 35:50 Tips and Tricks

  • Maintain a minimum presence of toggles to ensure the feature is properly hidden.

    Too many toggles complicates code and creates tight dependencies. If creating and maintaining toggle points takes a significant amount of time the code may have too many toggle tests. To reduce this focus on the entry points such as log-in or sessions.

  • Retire release toggles once the pending feature is added.

    Not retiring toggles results in a pile of toggles noone knows how to use or if they are even in use. Remove the definition on the config file and all code using the retired toggle.

  • Make release toggles a last option.

    It is best to break down features to introduce parts of them into the production code. When that is not possible build the feature minus the UI entry point. Then add the UI in a single release cycle. The problem with this is that it makes testing the UI in production impossible until it is added.

  • Release toggles need to be short-lived.

    The purpose of release toggles is to reduce the risk when releasing new features. Once the release is complete the toggle should be removed.

• 46:14 Dangers of Use

  Caution should be taken when using feature flags in production code. Toggles create technical debt, especially release toggles that need to be removed once the feature is complete. Being integrated into the production code untested new features may corrupt data used by existing features. Most dangerous is the possibility of accidental exposure of unfinished features or granting administrative access to users.