Togle is an important tool in a developer’s toolkit because it allows us to re-configure features at runtime. The key to using toggles effectively is making sure that they are used appropriately, in the correct context and consistently.

Labels: Toggle labels should clearly describe what the control will do when the switch is on and what state it’s in right now. They should also be short and direct.

Color: Toggle switches should use a high-contrast color to signal state change. This helps users understand whether the control is on or off and can reduce the number of potential errors.

Visual Design: Toggle controls should look like sliders and be consistent with the overall look and feel of your site or app. They should also include standard visual cues (i.e. movement and color).

Experiment Toggles: These are used in a variety of ways to perform multivariate or A/B testing, such as evaluating the call to action wording on a button. These toggles allow a single user to be sent down one or the other path based on the cohort they’re in, and can be a very dynamic way of testing a feature.

Managing Toggle Configuration:

While toggle configuration should be static – living side-by-side in source control – there are a few cases where it’s essential that we can re-configure toggles at runtime. This is especially true when we’re using things like Ops Toggles and Experiment Toggles which will typically send a large number of users down different codepaths, at varying times.