Use Feature Flags With an Exit Plan
A large release needs staged exposure, but forgotten flags make code paths multiply. This guide gives you a small, testable way to approach the issue before changing a live system.
A practical workflow
- Define the owner, rollout criteria, kill switch and removal date before adding a flag.
- Measure the flagged behavior and test both paths until rollout is complete.
What to check
A flag cannot undo a destructive database migration; keep data changes compatible. Compare the result with the original problem and record what changed. If a measurement or test does not support the change, revisit the assumption rather than adding more complexity.
Keep the experiment small enough to reverse. Document the starting state, the change and the result so another person can repeat the process. Product menus and versions can change, so check the current documentation for your environment.
Official reference: Read the documentation.