The toggle is a button that can be used to switch between two different states or options. It is commonly found in everyday technology devices and software applications to allow users to turn features on or off.
Toggles should be used to update preferences, settings and other types of information that are best managed through a switch. Toggles should be clearly labeled and designed to make clear the current state of a control. They should use standard visual cues like moving elements, color and text to avoid confusion. Toggle switches should be simple and straightforward to understand – avoiding confusing multi-state controls or complex decisions that need to be weighed.
The toggle should be easily accessible to users with a variety of abilities, including those using assistive technologies (ATs). It is important to keep in mind the proximity principle when designing toggles and use of colors for state descriptors. This will ensure that users with a range of cognitive abilities can understand the current state of a toggle and that it can be activated without the need for additional hints or context.
Feature toggles are a great way to test and implement new features in a controlled environment. For example, Facebook uses Feature Toggles to slowly roll out changes to its news feed so that it can monitor performance and gather user feedback before making it available to all users. This approach is also known as continuous deployment.
