A toggle is a switch that allows you to move between different states or options. It’s often used in everyday technology, such as laptops or mobile phones, to enable or disable features like WiFi and Bluetooth, or to change display modes. You can also use it in software applications to toggle between different functions.
Toggle switches are commonly used in user interfaces to update preferences or settings and deliver immediate results. Because they can be confusing for users if implemented incorrectly, it’s important to ensure that your toggles have direct labels and use standard visual design. Additionally, you should always evaluate your toggles for accessibility — they may be inaccessible to users with assistive technologies if not designed correctly.
Choosing the right color to signal state changes is another key consideration when designing toggles. Toggle colors should be high-contrast and avoid using colors that have a negative connotation in your users’ cultural context. For example, red can be counterintuitive for users who associate it with stop signs or traffic lights.
Lastly, it’s important to keep the scope of any given toggle small enough that it doesn’t affect more than one feature at a time. This will prevent the creation of complex, nested decision trees that can create unpredictable effects on other teams’ work and become a nightmare to debug weeks or months down the road. By managing the complexity of your toggles with good code architecture and naming practices, you can create a powerful tool that will help your team ship code faster and more reliably.
