Toggle is a term used in technology to describe a control that can be flipped on and off. These switches are often found on phones or computers to turn features such as WiFi or Bluetooth on and off. They can also be used to change system settings or preferences (e.g. Airplane Mode on and off).
Because toggles are more visible than other types of controls they can be more intuitive for users. However, it’s important that they are well labeled to prevent ambiguity and misunderstandings about the function of a toggle. Good labels include the option being controlled, its current state and any other pertinent information. It’s also best to avoid using colors to signify toggle states as this can be misleading and a violation of the WCAG guideline that doesn’t use color alone to convey meaning.
It’s critical to test toggle configurations before pushing them into production. A wise practice is to test the toggle in its expected final live state as well as any toggles that you intend to release with a fallback toggle state of Off. This will help avoid unexpected regressions in a future release.
Savvy teams treat their inventory of feature toggles as a resource that comes with a carrying cost and seek to keep it low. To do this they have a process in place to proactively add toggle removal tasks to the backlog as soon as they are no longer needed. This can be as simple as adding an expiration date to a toggle or building the process into their code management platform.
