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The Stack Overflow Podcast
Feature flags: Theory meets reality
Jan 31, 2025
Finn Glover, CEO of Schematic, and Ben Papalon, CTO, share their expertise in software and startups. They dive into the complexities of feature flags, highlighting the gap between theory and reality in software development. The duo discusses managing technical debt and the risks of flag retention. They also introduce innovative approaches to feature management that enhance pricing flexibility and user experience. Additionally, they explore challenges startups face with feature flags, balancing engineering needs with business strategies.
33:34
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Quick takeaways
- Feature flags, while beneficial for experimentation and rollout, often lead to maintenance challenges, resulting in tangled codebases and reduced developer productivity.
- The evolution of feature flags into entitlement management emphasizes their role in monetization strategies, allowing businesses to efficiently experiment with pricing models without overwhelming development teams.
Deep dives
Origins in Software Development
Both guests have a rich history in the startup ecosystem, with diverse journeys leading to their current roles. Ben Papalon began his journey as a high school intern at a startup focused on email products, eventually growing into roles in early-stage engineering for various B2B SaaS companies. Finn Glover started his first company in 2012, transitioning from a lifestyle business to a software company after recognizing a market opportunity. Their paths converged around 2016, leading to the creation of Schematic, a venture aimed at addressing modern software development challenges.
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