Toggle is a switch that has two positions (On and Off). It’s commonly used in everyday technology to switch between settings or options. It’s also used to describe a process, like switching between screens during a video call. Toggle is a great option when you need to roll out new features or changes to your app quickly and reliably. It’s especially helpful when you’re using a trunk-based development approach to manage code deployment. It reduces the time it takes to merge/confirm and deploy changes and helps you stabilize your application during periods of high latency.

While some teams choose to hardcode toggle configuration in the code using things like if statements or preprocessor features, these techniques don’t allow for dynamic re-configuration. This can create friction in the testing process by forcing you to manually re-deploy and retest changes in order to test an intended toggle state. This can have a significant impact on the overall speed of your CI/CD pipeline and ultimately on the feedback loop that is so important for ensuring a high quality product.

When using toggles, it’s best to use them with caution. They should only be used when a user can understand that there are only two possible states and that the behavior of one side is completely mutually exclusive with the other. Toggle switches should also be clearly labeled. They should not be used for processes that require a constant state, such as downloading files or storing data in a database. These processes can often be better managed with a checkbox or other form control.