Managing Flags
Everything you need to create, edit, toggle, search, and archive feature flags in the FlagEngine dashboard.
Creating a Flag
To create a new feature flag, click the Create Flag button in the top-right of the flags list. The creation form requires the following fields:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Key | Yes | Unique identifier used in SDK calls (e.g., new-checkout). Must be lowercase, alphanumeric with hyphens. |
| Name | Yes | Human-readable display name shown in the dashboard. |
| Description | No | Optional context about what the flag controls and why it exists. |
| Type | Yes | boolean, string, number, or JSON. Determines the kind of value the flag returns. |
| Tags | No | Key-value labels for organization and filtering (e.g., team:checkout, sprint:Q1). |
After creation, the flag appears in the flags list with a default state of OFF in all environments.
Flag Detail View
Click any flag in the list to open its detail view. The detail page is organized into tabs that give you full control over the flag's behavior:
Toggle
Turn the flag ON or OFF for the current environment. The toggle takes effect immediately — no deploy required. For boolean flags, this is a simple switch. For string/number/JSON flags, you set the exact value to serve.
Targeting
Define rules that determine which users receive which variation. Combine individual user targeting, segment membership, and percentage rollouts. Rules are evaluated top-to-bottom; the first match wins.
Environments
Each environment (dev, staging, production) has independent flag state and targeting rules. Use the environment tabs to switch context. A flag can be ON in dev for testing while remaining OFF in production.
Metrics
View evaluation volume, latency, and error rate for this specific flag. Drill down by environment and time range to understand usage patterns.
Environment Tabs
Environment tabs appear at the top of the flag detail view and the flags list. They let you quickly switch between dev, staging, and production to see and manage flag states independently:
- Dev — Use for local development and testing. Flags are typically ON here so developers can validate new features.
- Staging — Mirror of production configuration. Use for pre-release validation and QA.
- Production — Controls what real users see. Target with care — changes here affect live traffic.
Each environment has its own API key (Server or Client type). Make sure your application uses the correct key for the environment it's running in.
Toggling Flags
Toggling a flag is instantaneous. On the flag detail page:
- Select the target environment tab (dev, staging, or production).
- For boolean flags, flip the toggle switch. The change takes effect immediately for all new evaluations.
- For string/number/JSON flags, enter the desired value and click Save.
- If targeting rules are enabled, the toggle acts as the default rule— it applies to any user who doesn't match a targeting rule.
Instant rollback
If a feature causes issues in production, flip the flag OFF. There's no rollback, no hotfix, and no deployment — the feature disappears instantly for all users. This is the core value of feature flags: decoupling deployment from release.
Search and Filter
The flags list includes powerful search and filter capabilities to help you find flags quickly, even with hundreds of flags in a project:
- Search — Full-text search across flag key, name, and description. Results update as you type.
- Tag filters — Filter by one or more tags (e.g.,
team:payments,sprint:Q1). - Status filters — Show only enabled flags, disabled flags, or archived flags.
- Type filters — Filter by flag type: boolean, string, number, or JSON.
- Sort — Sort by name, creation date, last modified, or evaluation volume.
Bulk Operations
When you need to make changes across multiple flags, use bulk operations. Select flags using the checkboxes in the flags list, then choose an action:
- Bulk toggle — Turn multiple flags ON or OFF in a specific environment with a single click.
- Bulk archive — Archive multiple flags that are no longer needed. Archived flags are hidden by default but can be restored.
- Bulk tag — Add or remove tags across multiple flags at once.
Archiving Flags
When a flag has served its purpose — the feature is fully rolled out and the old code path is removed — archive it to keep your flags list clean:
- Open the flag detail page.
- Click the Archive button in the header actions.
- Confirm the archive action.
Archived flags are hidden from the main list but remain accessible via the archived filter. Evaluations for archived flags always return the default value. You can restore an archived flag at any time if you need to reference it or reactivate it.
Next Steps
- Environment Comparison— compare flag states side-by-side across environments
- Target Inspector— debug why a specific user is or isn't receiving a flag
- Flag Health— monitor stale flags and technical debt