What Are Feature Flags?
Feature flags (also called feature toggles) are a software development technique that lets you turn features on or off without deploying new code.
Think of it like a light switch
Just like you can turn lights on or off with a switch without rewiring your house, feature flags let you turn features on or off without redeploying your application. The code for the feature is already there—you're just controlling whether it's active.
How Feature Flags Work
In Your Code
if (featureFlag.isEnabled("new-checkout")) {
// Show new checkout flow
return <NewCheckout />
} else {
// Show old checkout flow
return <OldCheckout />
}In Your Dashboard
Feature is ON for all users
Why Development Teams Love Feature Flags
🚀 Deploy Safely
Deploy code with features turned off, then enable them when you're ready. If something goes wrong, turn it off instantly.
🧪 Test in Production
Enable features for your team or beta users first, gather feedback, then roll out to everyone.
📊 Gradual Rollouts
Release to 5% of users, then 25%, then 100%. Monitor performance and user feedback at each step.
🔥 Emergency Stops
Found a critical bug? Turn off the problematic feature immediately without a deployment or rollback.
Common Use Cases
E-commerce Deployments
Deploy new checkout flows behind a flag, test with your team first, then gradually roll out to customers. If conversion metrics drop, instantly disable the feature while you investigate and fix issues.
Mobile App Releases
Ship features to app stores in a disabled state, then enable them server-side when ready. This eliminates waiting for app store approval cycles when releasing new functionality.
Load Management
During high-traffic events, quickly disable non-essential features to reduce server load and maintain system stability for core functionality.
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