Is Your Software Release Strategy Up to Date? Feature Toggling vs Direct Release

Feature toggling is a dynamic method to manage software features, allowing developers to turn features on or off without deploying new code. This technique provides flexibility in controlling the availability of features in your application, especially useful in a continuous delivery environment.

Why Use Feature Toggling?

Feature toggles offer several benefits:

• Incremental Rollouts: Deploy features to specific users or groups, reducing risk.
• A/B Testing: Test features with select cohorts before wider release.
• Maintenance Windows: Easily disable features for maintenance without impacting the entire system.

Releasing to Specific IPs and User Cohorts

Beyond basic on/off toggling, sophisticated toggling strategies can target specific user segments, geographies, or even IP addresses. This precision in release management ensures that new features reach the intended audience under controlled conditions, maximizing impact and minimizing disruption.

Feature Toggling in Practice: Outbound Notification System Upgrade

Scenario: Upgrading a Legacy Notification System

Imagine a legacy platform responsible for outbound notifications, including both emails and SMS messages. The goal is to transition to a new, modern notification engine. However, the challenge is to do this without disrupting existing services.

Direct Release vs. Feature Toggling

In a direct release scenario, all users would be immediately shifted to the new system, risking widespread issues if the new system has bugs or performs poorly. On the other hand, feature toggling allows for a gradual rollout. We can selectively enable the new notification system for specific user groups, monitoring performance and user feedback before extending it to all users.

Example Strategies for Notification System Upgrade

1. User Group Targeting: Initially, only a small, controlled group of users receive notifications from the new system.
2. Geographical Phasing: Roll out the new system in a specific region before a global launch.
3. Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor the new system’s performance, making adjustments before a full-scale rollout.

Tools for Implementing Feature Toggles

Comparison of Tools

The market offers several tools for feature toggling, such as LaunchDarkly, Unleash, and FeatureFlow. Refer to the earlier provided comparison table for a detailed overview of their costs, hosting options, and capabilities.

Gradual Cutover with Feature Toggling

How to Implement a Gradual Cutover

Gradual cutover is key to minimizing risk during major system upgrades. Here’s how to do it with feature toggling:

1. Baseline Current System: Understand current performance metrics.
2. Define Rollout Phases: Plan incremental rollout stages based on user groups, performance metrics, or other criteria.
3. Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor the new system and adjust the rollout as needed.

Conclusion

Feature toggling is not just a technical solution; it’s a strategic approach to software release. Organizations should weigh the benefits of controlled, risk-mitigated releases against traditional direct release strategies. When used effectively, feature toggles can significantly enhance both the technical robustness and the business agility of your software deployment processes.

Next Steps for Organizations

Organizations should:

1. Evaluate Current Release Processes: Assess if feature toggling can address existing challenges.
2. Select Suitable Tools: Choose a tool that aligns with your technological stack and business needs.
3. Train Teams: Ensure that your teams are well-versed in feature toggling practices.

Feature toggling represents a paradigm shift in how we think about software releases, offering a more nuanced and controlled approach to delivering new features and upgrades.