Toggle is a digital trade magazine that showcases the vital role technology leaders play in their organizations. From digging out of technical debt to how they prioritize data security, we look at the specific issues these executives face and how they’re navigating the ever-changing IT landscape.
A toggle (also tuggle) is a switch that has two settings, on or off. It’s found in software and hardware. For example, the caps lock and num lock keys on your keyboard are toggles for those particular functions. In computing, toggles are found in almost every aspect of the interface when there is an options or preferences list. They enforce a mutually exclusive state and are easy to understand. For example, if a user sees “cookies” on the right side of the toggle and they push that toggle to the left, then it is clear to them that their browser is now refusing cookies.
Toggle can also be used figuratively to describe changing between two things, such as switching from French homework to Spanish homework. Toggle is also a type of fastener, such as a pin passed through an eye or loop in a rope to bind it temporarily. Another common use of the term is a cordlock toggle, used for stopping a cord or drawstring. The word is derived from the old English verb toggle, meaning to bind or fasten. Look up the word in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.