The word toggle is used in everyday technology to describe a button or switch that can be flipped between two states or options. In software development toggles enable you to update settings and modes on-demand. When used well they are an effective way to manage complexity and allow teams to deliver incremental changes.
A feature toggle is a piece of code that controls whether or not some functionality should be enabled in your product. Generally speaking the feature toggle consists of a variable, typically a Boolean variable, which is controlled by an event or action. A feature toggle can also be referred to as a flag or a conditional variable.
Savvy teams view the Feature Toggles in their codebase as inventory which comes with a carrying cost and seek to keep this inventory as low as possible. To do this they are proactive about removing feature toggles that are no longer needed, some even put “expiration dates” on their toggles to help ensure this happens.
Toggles are not the only tool in your arsenal when it comes to managing complex features, but they’re one of the most important. The best practices for using toggles include providing clear labels, following consistent visual design, and delivering immediate results.
The Advanced Options menu in the left sidebar allows you to adjust several settings for the Toggle Item, including positioning, Responsive, Animation & Delay. Toggle Item Advanced Options are the same as those for an overall element, if you’re familiar with those you’ll be right at home here.
