Feature flag
Feature flags support staged rollouts, internal testing, experiments, emergency disablement, and audience-specific access. They separate deployment from release, but they also create operational complexity. Teams should define ownership, expiry dates, targeting rules, fallback behavior, and monitoring so old flags do not accumulate or create inconsistent experiences.
What is Feature flag?
A feature flag is a control that turns product functionality on or off for selected users without requiring a new code deployment.
Why it matters
Feature flags support staged rollouts, internal testing, experiments, emergency disablement, and audience-specific access. They separate deployment from release, but they also create operational complexity. Teams should define ownership, expiry dates, targeting rules, fallback behavior, and monitoring so old flags do not accumulate or create inconsistent experiences.
Example
A team releases a redesigned search experience to 5% of users, watches errors and conversion, then expands the flag gradually.