The word toggle is commonly used to refer to a pin passed through the eye of a rope to fasten it, or a switch that turns something on and off (such as your caps lock key). In software development, the word toggle has been extended to apply to all controls that can be either ON or OFF. These switches are common in settings and preferences menus and in nearly every kind of application.
Using toggles in a user interface can be a good way to provide users with more control over their experience and can help you avoid confusion. Often, toggles are better than radio buttons because they can be turned ON or OFF with one press and require less visual real estate than two separate checkboxes. However, it is important to make sure that your toggles are clearly labeled so that they can be understood by the users. The best way to do this is to write clear labels that describe what will happen if the toggle is ON. In addition, the toggle switch should move position so that it is visually obvious what state it is in right now.
When managing Feature Toggles it’s essential to be proactive in removing those that are no longer needed. This is a big part of why many teams choose to move their toggle configuration out of static files and into some type of centralized store, often an existing application DB. This change also typically accompanies the build-out of some form of admin UI that allows system operators, testers and product managers to view and modify toggle configuration.
