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---
type: index, 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"
---
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# Feature flags in development of GitLab
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Feature flags can be used to gradually deploy changes, regardless of whether
they are new features or performance improvements. By using feature flags,
you can determine the impact of GitLab-directed changes, while still being able
to disable those changes without having to revert an entire release.
Before using feature flags for GitLab's development, review the following development guides:
NOTE: **Note:**
The feature flags used by GitLab to deploy its own features **are not** the same
as the [feature flags offered as part of the product ](../../operations/feature_flags.md ).
For an overview about starting with feature flags in GitLab's development,
use this [training template ](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com/-/blob/master/.gitlab/issue_templates/feature-flag-training.md ).
Development guides:
- [Process for using features flags ](process.md ): When you should use
feature flags in the development of GitLab, what's the cost of using them,
and how to include them in a release.
- [Developing with feature flags ](development.md ): Learn about the types of
feature flags, their definition and validation, how to create them, frontend and
backend details, and other information.
- [Documenting features deployed behind feature flags ](../documentation/feature_flags.md ):
How to document features deployed behind feature flags, and how to update the
documentation for features' flags when their states change.
- [Controlling feature flags ](controls.md ): Learn the process for deploying
a new feature, enabling it on GitLab.com, communicating the change,
logging, and cleaning up.
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User guides:
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- [How GitLab administrators can enable and disable features behind flags ](../../administration/feature_flags.md ):
An explanation for GitLab administrators about how they can
enable or disable GitLab features behind feature flags.
- [What "features deployed behind flags" means to the GitLab user ](../../user/feature_flags.md ):
An explanation for GitLab users regarding how certain features
might not be available to them until they are enabled.
