Toggle is a term used to describe software or hardware switching between different states. For example, the toggle switch on a keyboard allows users to toggle between the Caps Lock and Num Lock functions. When a toggle is pressed on, the function is enabled and when it is pushed off, the function is disabled. Toggle switches can also be used in software to switch between different code paths based on conditions such as fitness tests results or settings set by a feature management tool.
While a toggle switch is an easy way to enable or disable functionality, it’s important to consider the user experience when implementing one. It’s helpful to use high-contrast colors when designing a toggle so that the state change is clearly visible. Additionally, ensuring that toggles have clear labels is essential as well. Toggle labels should describe the behavior that will be enabled or disabled, and ideally, should be descriptive so that users can understand what the toggle means in context.
Toggles can add a lot of flexibility to your software development process, but it’s essential that teams keep their inventory of toggles low. Toggle inventory that goes unused can be difficult to manage and may lead to technical debt down the line. To avoid this, many teams create a process to ensure that old toggles are removed as soon as their usefulness has run out, either by adding a task to the team backlog or through a feature flag management platform like Kameleon.