Toggle is a simple user interface control that allows users to update preferences, settings, and other information. When toggles are used effectively they deliver an immediate effect without the need to Save or Submit. They are also a preferred choice for changing system settings like Airplane Mode on mobile devices as they take up less screen space than two radio buttons.
Toggles can be found in everyday technology from your smartphone to your car dashboard. They provide a quick and easy way to update features or modes in a product and are often used in combination with other types of controls such as Radio buttons or Checkboxes. The key to successful toggles is clarity in their labels: make it clear what the toggle will do when activated (ON or OFF) and be consistent with your use of colors for toggle states.
Using toggles in your UI is not only great for continuous deployment but it’s also an effective way to test new features with a subset of your users. By placing a new feature behind a toggle and then turning it on for Beta testers your engineering team can gain insights into how well a newly designed or rebuilt feature will be received before its full rollout to the general user base.
However it’s important to note that if your toggle configuration is managed via static files and the toggles are constantly changing state then navigating this type of interface will become cumbersome and potentially disrupt the feedback loop that CI/CD provides. Toggle configuration is better served through some kind of centralized DB or at the very least an admin UI which will allow engineers and testers to modify the toggles quickly and reliably.
