Pattern: Feature flags (decouple deploy from release)
Gate new behavior behind a flag so code can be deployed to production continuously while its release to users is a separate, controlled decision. Enables safe defaults, staged rollouts (percentage ramps), instant rollback (flip the flag, no redeploy), and lets unfinished work live on trunk. Flags have a lifecycle — they must be retired once the rollout completes, or they become their own addy-deprecation liability.
Applied by (backlinks)
Addy Osmani — Agent Skills:
- addy-incremental-implementation — feature flags + safe defaults for rollback-friendly slices.
- addy-ci-cd — flag-driven deployment strategies.
- addy-shipping — feature-flag lifecycle, staged rollouts, rollback procedures.
See Also
- pattern-trunk-based-development — keeps in-progress work on trunk without shipping it.
- artifact-launch-checklist — where flag state and rollback are recorded.
- stage-release — the stage this pattern serves.