Feature flags decouple deployment from release. Ship code to production without exposing it to users, then gradually roll out when ready. Here's how to implement them effectively.
Why Feature Flags?
Use cases:
- Gradual rollouts (1% → 10% → 50% → 100%)
- A/B testing
- Kill switches for problematic features
- Beta testing with specific users
- Trunk-based development
- Environment-specific features
Basic Implementation
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Database Schema
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React Integration
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Gradual Rollout
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A/B Testing Integration
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Admin Dashboard
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Best Practices
DO:
✓ Use consistent naming (kebab-case)
✓ Set expiration dates for temporary flags
✓ Clean up old flags regularly
✓ Audit all flag changes
✓ Monitor feature performance
✓ Use flags for gradual rollouts
DON'T:
✗ Create flags without owners
✗ Leave flags in code indefinitely
✗ Use flags for configuration
✗ Nest too many flags
✗ Skip testing both branches
Flag Lifecycle
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Conclusion
Feature flags enable safe, gradual releases. Start simple with boolean toggles, add percentage rollouts for gradual releases, and integrate with monitoring for automatic rollbacks.
Clean up flags regularly—technical debt accumulates when flags live forever.