Feature flags

Feature flags are a powerful tool in modern software development. They let teams separate deployment from release, making rollouts smoother, experimentation safer, and iterations faster.

The story behind Atono feature flags

In many systems, feature flags exist in a separate application, requiring teams to cross-reference them with the functionality they control. With Atono, feature flags are embedded directly into user stories, cutting out this extra step.

Key benefits

  • Streamlined workflow: By integrating feature flags into user stories, we reduce cognitive overload, simplify project management, and centralize all relevant information. This makes it easier for teams to track progress and control feature rollouts.
A screenshot showing three user stories, each with embedded feature flags. The first has a cursor hovering over the flag name, revealing a tooltip with detailed information about the flag configuration status and last evaluation.
  • User-friendly implementation: Implementing feature flags in Atono is intuitive. Each story comes with built-in documentation and code snippets, so even if you’re new to feature flagging, you can set them up with ease.
A GIF showing a user interacting with a story in Atono. The user clicks on the 'View sample code' button, which triggers a modal to open. The modal displays sample code that users can apply to integrate the feature flag into their application's code.
  • Comprehensive tracking: Atono’s reporting system provides a clear view of all stories under flag control, allowing product owners to monitor ongoing releases and identify opportunities to retire flags for fully-released features.
Feature flag configuration screen showing the status of the flag in each environment within the workspace, the timestamp of the last evaluation, and a list of all the user stories to which the flag is applied.

How it works

For MVP, we’ve prioritized keeping feature flags simple yet effective. You can set flags ON or OFF for any story and slice them by common dimensions like environment, customer, and location.

A mockup of the feature flag configuration screen. The screen displays a development environment with the feature flag set to a default value of "off." A slice is configured to turn the flag "on" when the customer is "Virtual Vintage" and the location is either "USA" or "Canada."

A foundation built on standards

Atono feature flags are based on openfeature.dev, the emerging standard for feature flagging. This means you can easily switch to a different feature flag provider in the future if needed.

What’s next?

We believe our current approach covers 80% of customer use cases without adding unnecessary complexity. As we gather user feedback, we plan to expand these capabilities to meet specific customer needs.