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Feature Flags

Feature flags (also known as feature toggles) are a powerful technique that allows you to enable or disable features in your application without deploying new code. They help you:

  • Release features gradually (canary or staged rollouts)
  • Test features in production
  • Run A/B or multivariate experiments
  • Instantly disable problematic features (kill switches)
  • Decouple deployment from release

Flagsmith makes it easy to manage feature flags across multiple environments and projects.

How Feature Flags Work​

A feature flag is a conditional check in your code that determines whether a feature is enabled or disabled. This check can be controlled remotely, allowing you to change application behavior without redeploying code.

Feature Flag Lifecycles​

Feature flags can be short-lived (for rollouts and experiments) or long-lived (for ongoing control, like kill switches). Learn more in the Feature Flag Lifecycle Guide.

Best Practices​

  • Use clear naming conventions for your flags
  • Remove short-lived flags when no longer needed
  • Document the purpose of each flag
  • Set default values for all flags (Defensive Coding)
  • Use tags and owners to organize and manage flags (Flag Management)