A toggle is a switch that can be used to change between two states or options. Toggles are commonly found in everyday technology such as computers, phones and tablets.
A common use of toggles is in responsive web design to control the visibility of elements based on screen size. This allows designers to create a more user-friendly experience while minimizing scrolling and distractions. Toggles can also be used to implement features such as collapsible sidebars, enabling readers to see the content that is relevant to them at a given time.
Another useful application of toggles is to support agile development processes. By using feature toggles, developers can hide new functionality from most users while still releasing software updates to meet delivery targets. This is in contrast to the more traditional waterfall process where features are developed on separate code branches and then merged back into trunk code after a lengthy QA and testing phase.
Toggle configuration can be anything from a simple if statement to complex decision trees that act upon a range of different variables. Toggle configuration can be hardcoded into code or dynamically re-configured in source code (depending on the complexity of the system). The latter is preferable because it allows for more flexibility and makes it easier to track and understand which toggles are currently active.
Toggles should be clearly and consistently labeled to avoid confusion for users. In addition to clear labeling, visual cues like color changes and animations can help signal a toggle’s state to users.
