A toggle is a switch that can have only two outcomes – either on or off. This type of switch is often found in various everyday technology devices like phones or tablets. In software applications toggles can be used to enable or disable certain features, switch between different display modes and more. A toggle is a useful tool when you need to make changes that affect multiple user segments at once and want to test the impact of those changes before making them permanent.
In programming a Toggle is often implemented as a Boolean variable. By checking the value of the toggle, you can determine its current state and take appropriate actions in your program based on that information. The term “toggle” comes from the fact that these switches can be either on or off. The way they are designed is also inspired by physical switches that have only one outcome.
A common use of a Toggle is for Feature Flags. A Feature Flag is a toggle that allows you to enable and disable existing or legacy behavior in your code base. A Feature Flag can also be used to introduce new or experimental behavior for a small group of users. These types of releases are called Canary Releases or Champagne Brunch Releases.
Feature Toggles can be useful for a wide variety of applications in the development of complex web and mobile apps. For example they can be used to perform A/B testing, where you run the same code path for many cohorts and then compare the results of those different paths. In addition, Toggles can be used to enable and disable certain functionality in an app based on device or screen size.
When it comes to design, there are a number of things to keep in mind when designing a Toggle. For example, it’s important to always provide clear and consistent feedback when a user toggles something on or off. This can be done by using a label that clearly states what will happen if the toggle is activated or deactivated, and/or by using a visual signifier such as an icon to represent the current state. It’s also important to think about contrast and societal and cultural differences when choosing colors for Toggle states. For example, using red as the default on position can be confusing for users who are colorblind or have other vision disabilities.
Finally, when implementing a Toggle, it’s important to remember that it should be easy to disable. This can be accomplished by ensuring that the toggle is not buried deep within the code base, or by adding an expiration date to a toggle so that it will eventually expire and no longer be available for use. This will prevent users from accidentally encountering expired features and potentially causing them problems in their use of the app. Savvy teams will take this into consideration and be proactive about removing toggles that are no longer in use.