summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to 'doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md')
-rw-r--r--doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md182
1 files changed, 145 insertions, 37 deletions
diff --git a/doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md b/doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md
index e2fbf25eb8a..a4a6ee2fa0f 100644
--- a/doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md
+++ b/doc/development/documentation/feature_flags.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
---
-type: reference
+type: reference, dev
+stage: none
+group: Development
+info: "See the Technical Writers assigned to Development Guidelines: https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments-to-development-guidelines"
description: "GitLab development - how to document features deployed behind feature flags"
---
@@ -24,6 +27,7 @@ See how to document them below, according to the state of the flag:
- [Features disabled by default](#features-disabled-by-default).
- [Features that became enabled by default](#features-that-became-enabled-by-default).
- [Features directly enabled by default](#features-directly-enabled-by-default).
+- [Features that can be enabled or disabled for a single project](#features-enabled-by-project).
- [Features with the feature flag removed](#features-with-flag-removed).
NOTE: **Note:**
@@ -37,105 +41,120 @@ therefore, it indicates that it cannot be done by regular users of GitLab.com.
For features disabled by default, if they cannot be used yet due to lack of
completeness, or if they're still under internal evaluation (for example, for
performance implications) do **not document them**: add (or merge) the docs
-only when the feature is safe and ready to use and test by end users.
+only when the feature is safe and ready to use and test by end-users.
For feature flags disabled by default, if they can be used by end users:
- Say that it's disabled by default.
- Say whether it's enabled on GitLab.com.
-- Say whether it can be enabled or disabled per-project.
+- If the feature can be enabled/disabled for a single project, add the
+ [by-project information](#features-enabled-by-project). Otherwise,
+ do not say anything about it.
- Say whether it's recommended for production use.
- Document how to enable and disable it.
+- Add a warning to the user saying that the feature is disabled.
-For example, for a feature disabled by default, disabled on GitLab.com, can be enabled or disabled per-project, and
-not ready for production use:
+For example, for a feature disabled by default, disabled on GitLab.com, cannot
+be enabled for a single project, and is not ready for production use:
````markdown
# Feature Name
> - [Introduced](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.0.
-> - It's deployed behind a feature flag, disabled by default.
+> - It's [deployed behind a feature flag](<replace with path to>/user/feature_flags.md), disabled by default.
> - It's disabled on GitLab.com.
-> - It's able to be enabled or disabled per-project.
> - It's not recommended for production use.
> - To use it in GitLab self-managed instances, ask a GitLab administrator to [enable it](#anchor-to-section). **(CORE ONLY)**
-(...)
+CAUTION: **Warning:**
+This feature might not be available to you. Check the **version history** note above for details.
+
+(...Regular content goes here...)
+
+<!-- Add this at the end of the file -->
### Enable or disable <Feature Name> **(CORE ONLY)**
<Feature Name> is under development and not ready for production use. It is
deployed behind a feature flag that is **disabled by default**.
-[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](../path/to/administration/feature_flags.md)
-can enable it for your instance. <Feature Name> can be enabled or disabled per-project.
+[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](<replace with path to>/administration/feature_flags.md)
+can enable it.
To enable it:
```ruby
-# Instance-wide
Feature.enable(:<feature flag>)
-# or by project
-Feature.enable(:<feature flag>, Project.find(<project id>))
```
To disable it:
```ruby
-# Instance-wide
Feature.disable(:<feature flag>)
-# or by project
-Feature.disable(:<feature flag>, Project.find(<project id>))
```
````
Adjust the blurb according to the state of the feature you're documenting.
+Replace `<Feature name>`, `**(CORE ONLY)**`, `<feature flag>`, and
+`<replace with path to>`, and `#anchor-to-section` accordingly.
### Features that became enabled by default
-For features that became enabled by default:
+For features that were released disabled by default but became enabled by
+default:
- Say that it became enabled by default.
- Say whether it's enabled on GitLab.com.
-- Say whether it can be enabled or disabled per-project.
+- If the feature can be enabled/disabled for a single project, add the
+ [by-project information](#features-enabled-by-project). Otherwise,
+ do not say anything about it.
- Say whether it's recommended for production use.
- Document how to disable and enable it.
+- Add a warning to the user saying that the feature might be disabled.
-For example, for a feature initially deployed disabled by default, that became enabled by default, that is enabled on GitLab.com, that cannot be enabled or disabled per-project, and ready for production use:
+For example, for a feature initially deployed disabled by default, that became
+enabled by default, that is enabled on GitLab.com, and is ready for production
+use:
````markdown
# Feature Name
> - [Introduced](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.0.
-> - It was deployed behind a feature flag, disabled by default.
+> - It was [deployed behind a feature flag](<replace with path to>/user/feature_flags.md), disabled by default.
> - [Became enabled by default](link-to-issue) on GitLab 12.1.
> - It's enabled on GitLab.com.
-> - It's not able to be enabled or disabled per-project.
> - It's recommended for production use.
> - For GitLab self-managed instances, GitLab administrators can opt to [disable it](#anchor-to-section). **(CORE ONLY)**
-(...)
+CAUTION: **Warning:**
+This feature might not be available to you. Check the **version history** note above for details.
+
+(...Regular content goes here...)
+
+<!-- Add this at the end of the file -->
### Enable or disable <Feature Name> **(CORE ONLY)**
<Feature Name> is under development but ready for production use.
It is deployed behind a feature flag that is **enabled by default**.
-[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](..path/to/administration/feature_flags.md)
-can opt to disable it for your instance it cannot be enabled or disabled per-project.
+[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](<replace with path to>/administration/feature_flags.md)
+can opt to disable it.
-To disable it:
+To enable it:
```ruby
-Feature.disable(:<feature flag>)
+Feature.enable(:<feature flag>)
```
-To enable it:
+To disable it:
```ruby
-Feature.enable(:<feature flag>)
+Feature.disable(:<feature flag>)
```
````
Adjust the blurb according to the state of the feature you're documenting.
+Replace `<Feature name>`, `**(CORE ONLY)**`, `<feature flag>`,
+`<replace with path to>`, and `#anchor-to-section` accordingly.
### Features directly enabled by default
@@ -143,45 +162,134 @@ For features enabled by default:
- Say it's enabled by default.
- Say whether it's enabled on GitLab.com.
-- Say whether it can be enabled or disabled per-project.
+- If the feature can be enabled/disabled for a single project, add the
+ [by-project information](#features-enabled-by-project). Otherwise,
+ do not say anything about it.
- Say whether it's recommended for production use.
- Document how to disable and enable it.
+- Add a warning to the user saying that the feature might be disabled.
-For example, for a feature enabled by default, enabled on GitLab.com, cannot be enabled or disabled per-project, and ready for production use:
+For example, for a feature enabled by default, enabled on GitLab.com, that
+cannot be enabled for a single project, and is ready for production use:
````markdown
# Feature Name
> - [Introduced](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.0.
-> - It's deployed behind a feature flag, enabled by default.
+> - It's [deployed behind a feature flag](<replace with path to>/user/feature_flags.md), enabled by default.
> - It's enabled on GitLab.com.
-> - It's not able to be enabled or disabled per-project.
> - It's recommended for production use.
> - For GitLab self-managed instances, GitLab administrators can opt to [disable it](#anchor-to-section). **(CORE ONLY)**
-(...)
+CAUTION: **Warning:**
+This feature might not be available to you. Check the **version history** note above for details.
+
+(...Regular content goes here...)
+
+<!-- Add this at the end of the file -->
### Enable or disable <Feature Name> **(CORE ONLY)**
<Feature Name> is under development but ready for production use.
It is deployed behind a feature flag that is **enabled by default**.
-[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](..path/to/administration/feature_flags.md)
-can opt to disable it for your instance.
+[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](<replace with path to>/administration/feature_flags.md)
+can opt to disable it.
+
+To enable it:
+
+```ruby
+Feature.enable(:<feature flag>)
+```
To disable it:
```ruby
Feature.disable(:<feature flag>)
```
+````
-To enable it:
+Adjust the blurb according to the state of the feature you're documenting.
+Replace `<Feature name>`, `**(CORE ONLY)**`, `<feature flag>`,
+`<replace with path to>`, and `#anchor-to-section` accordingly.
+
+### Features enabled by project
+
+If the feature can be enabled/disabled for a single project, include in the
+version history note:
+
+```markdown
+> - It can be enabled or disabled for a single project.
+```
+
+Then add the by-project code to the code blocks:
+
+Enable code:
+
+```ruby
+# For the instance
+Feature.enable(:<feature flag>)
+# For a single project
+Feature.enable(:<feature flag>, Project.find(<project id>))
+```
+
+Disable code:
+
+```ruby
+# For the instance
+Feature.disable(:<feature flag>)
+# For a single project
+Feature.disable(:<feature flag>, Project.find(<project id>))
+```
+
+For example, for a feature enabled by default, enabled on GitLab.com, that can
+be enabled by project, and is ready for production use:
+
+````markdown
+# Feature Name
+
+> - [Introduced](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.0.
+> - It's [deployed behind a feature flag](<replace with path to>/user/feature_flags.md), enabled by default.
+> - It's enabled on GitLab.com.
+> - It can be enabled or disable for a single project.
+> - It's recommended for production use.
+> - For GitLab self-managed instances, GitLab administrators can opt to [disable it](#anchor-to-section). **(CORE ONLY)**
+
+CAUTION: **Warning:**
+This feature might not be available to you. Check the **version history** note above for details.
+
+(...Regular content goes here...)
+
+<!-- Add this at the end of the file -->
+
+### Enable or disable <Feature Name> **(CORE ONLY)**
+
+<Feature Name> is under development but ready for production use.
+It is deployed behind a feature flag that is **enabled by default**.
+[GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console](<replace with path to>/administration/feature_flags.md)
+can opt to disable it.
+
+To enabled it:
```ruby
+# For the instance
Feature.enable(:<feature flag>)
+# For a single project
+Feature.enable(:<feature flag>, Project.find(<project id>))
+```
+
+To disable it:
+
+```ruby
+# For the instance
+Feature.disable(:<feature flag>)
+# For a single project
+Feature.disable(:<feature flag>, Project.find(<project id>))
```
````
Adjust the blurb according to the state of the feature you're documenting.
+Replace `<Feature name>`, `**(CORE ONLY)**`, `<feature flag>`,
+`<replace with path to>`, and `#anchor-to-section` accordingly.
### Features with flag removed
@@ -195,6 +303,6 @@ mentions the flag in the version history notes:
> - [Introduced](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.0.
> - [Feature flag removed](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.2.
-(...)
+(...Regular content...)
````