OpenFeature with, with Thomas Poignant and Todd Baert
Apr 30, 2024
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Software engineers Thomas Poignant and Todd Baert discuss feature flagging in the OpenFeature project, emphasizing the dynamic nature of feature flags, standardizing flag usage with a vendor-agnostic SDK, and enabling remote activation of features. They also explore the benefits of feature flagging in software development, distribution of responsibilities among teams, and efforts to standardize the Gateway API in the Kubernetes ecosystem.
Feature flags enable dynamic application behavior changes without code updates, facilitating advanced rollout strategies and user segment targeting.
OpenFeature aims to standardize feature flag implementation across languages, empowering non-technical users and promoting interoperability.
Deep dives
Feature Flagging in Software Development
Feature flagging allows developers to dynamically change how applications behave without code updates. It enables activating or deactivating features or changing behavior remotely without deployment through flag management systems. Feature flags can target specific user segments and provide advanced rollout strategies, allowing gradual feature releases and experimentation.
Implementing Feature Flags in Practice
Feature flags are typically implemented using a standardized SDK that communicates with various backend flag providers. These providers, which can include REST or gRPC interfaces, supply flag values for evaluation. By supporting multiple providers, like Flag D or others, developers can choose the right backend system for their specific use case, enabling flexibility and ease of implementation.
Benefits of Open Feature Standardization
Open Feature aims to standardize feature flag implementation across different languages and environments. By providing a common SDK that is vendor-agnostic, developers can seamlessly integrate with multiple flag providers and ensure consistent flag management across projects. This approach simplifies feature flagging, promotes interoperability, and empowers non-technical users like product managers to self-serve experiments.
Intersection of IAM and Feature Flagging
While there isn't a direct correlation between Identity Access Management (IAM) and feature flagging, both involve specification development and standards adherence. Feature flagging tools like Open Feature cater to standardized flag evaluation and deployment, offering developers a common approach to managing dynamic application behavior. The emphasis on creating specifications and standardizing behaviors across platforms aligns with the open source ethos of collaborative development and interoperability.
Guests Thomas Poignant and Todd Baert are Software engineers with long experience working on IAM systems and feature flagging software. Today they are both maintainers and members of the Technical Committee of OpenFeature which is a CNCF incubated project.
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