Comparison
Feature flagvsRelease
Feature flag
you ship the code turned off, switch it on for yourself, then for one percent, then for everyone.
A runtime switch controlling whether a code path is active. It separates release from deploy, enables gradual rollout, and gives you an instant off switch that does not require a deploy. Flags are debt: every one is a branch to test and understand, so each needs an owner and a removal date.
Full entry →Release
you flip the flag and users start getting the new behaviour, on code that has already been running in production for a week.
Exposing new behaviour to users. Separating it from deployment is the single highest-leverage change to a delivery process: deploys become routine and releases become a business decision with an instant off switch. It requires the code to be flag-guarded and both paths to be tested.
Full entry →