Feature Toggle

Noun · Development

Definitions

  1. A runtime configuration switch that enables or disables a feature without deploying new code. Categories: release toggles (gradual rollout), experiment toggles (A/B testing), ops toggles (kill switches), and permission toggles (premium features). Should be short-lived and cleaned up — permanent toggles become tech debt. Also called feature flags.

    In plain English: An on/off switch for features that can be flipped without deploying new code, enabling gradual rollouts and quick kill switches.

    Example: "Wrap the new checkout flow in a feature toggle — enable it for 5% of users, monitor error rates, then ramp to 100%."

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