176 lines
9.3 KiB
Markdown
176 lines
9.3 KiB
Markdown
---
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info: For assistance with this Style Guide page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments-to-other-projects-and-subjects.
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stage: none
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group: unassigned
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description: "GitLab development - how to document features deployed behind feature flags"
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---
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# Document features deployed behind feature flags
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GitLab uses [feature flags](../feature_flags/index.md) to roll
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out the deployment of its own features.
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When the state of a feature flag changes, the developer who made the change
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**must update the documentation**.
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## When to document features behind a feature flag
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Every feature introduced to the codebase, even if it's behind a disabled feature flag,
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must be documented. For more information, see
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[the discussion that led to this decision](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/47917#note_459984428). [Alpha, Beta, or Limited Availability](../../policy/alpha-beta-support.md) features are usually behind a feature flag, and must also be documented. For more information, see [Document Alpha, Beta, LA features](alpha_beta.md).
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When the feature is [implemented in multiple merge requests](../feature_flags/index.md#feature-flags-in-gitlab-development),
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discuss the plan with your technical writer.
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You can create a documentation issue and delay the documentation if the feature:
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- Is far-reaching (makes changes across many areas of GitLab), like navigation changes.
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- Includes many MRs.
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- Affects more than a few documentation pages.
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- Is not fully functional if the feature flag is enabled for testing.
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The PM, EM, and writer should make sure the documentation work is assigned and scheduled.
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Every feature flag in the codebase is [in the documentation](../../user/feature_flags.md),
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even when the feature is not fully functional or otherwise documented.
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## How to add feature flag documentation
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When you document feature flags, you must:
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- [Add version history text](#add-version-history-text).
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- [Add a note at the start of the topic](#use-a-note-to-describe-the-state-of-the-feature-flag).
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## Add version history text
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When the state of a flag changes (for example, disabled by default to enabled by default), add the change to the
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[version history](versions.md#add-a-version-history-item).
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Possible version history entries are:
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```markdown
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> - [Introduced](issue-link) in GitLab X.X [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](issue-link) in GitLab X.X.
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> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](issue-link) in GitLab X.X. Available to GitLab.com administrators only.
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> - [Enabled on self-managed](issue-link) in GitLab X.X.
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> - [Generally available](issue-link) in GitLab X.Y. Feature flag `flag_name` removed.
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```
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## Use a note to describe the state of the feature flag
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Information about feature flags should be in a `FLAG` note at the start of the topic (just below the version history).
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The note has three parts, and follows this structure:
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```markdown
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FLAG:
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<Self-managed GitLab availability information.>
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<GitLab.com availability information.>
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<This feature is not ready for production use.>
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```
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A `FLAG` note renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
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FLAG:
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On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is not available. To make it available, ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `example_flag`.
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On GitLab.com, this feature is not available.
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This feature is not ready for production use.
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### Self-managed GitLab availability information
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| If the feature is... | Use this text |
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|--------------------------|---------------|
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| Available | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available. To hide the feature, ask an administrator to [disable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Unavailable | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is not available. To make it available, ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Available to some users | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available to a subset of users. To show or hide the feature for all, ask an administrator to [change the status of the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Available, per-group | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available. To hide the feature per group, ask an administrator to [disable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Unavailable, per-group | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is not available. To make it available per group, ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Available, per-project | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available. To hide the feature per project or for your entire instance, ask an administrator to [disable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Unavailable, per-project | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is not available. To make it available per project or for your entire instance, ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Available, per-user | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available. To hide the feature per user, ask an administrator to [disable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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| Unavailable, per-user | ``On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is not available. To make it available per user, ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag](<path to>/administration/feature_flags.md) named `flag_name`.`` |
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### GitLab.com availability information
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| If the feature is... | Use this text |
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|---------------------------------------------|---------------|
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| Available | `On GitLab.com, this feature is available.` |
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| Available to GitLab.com administrators only | `On GitLab.com, this feature is available but can be configured by GitLab.com administrators only.`
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| Unavailable | `On GitLab.com, this feature is not available.`|
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### Optional information
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If needed, you can add this sentence:
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`The feature is not ready for production use.`
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## Feature flag documentation examples
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The following examples show the progression of a feature flag.
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```markdown
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> Introduced in GitLab 13.7 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `forti_token_cloud`. Disabled by default.
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FLAG:
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On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is not available. To make it available,
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ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag](../administration/feature_flags.md) named `forti_token_cloud`.
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The feature is not ready for production use.
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```
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When the feature is enabled in production, you can update the version history:
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```markdown
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> - Introduced in GitLab 13.7 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `forti_token_cloud`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Enabled on self-managed](https://gitlab.com/issue/etc) GitLab 13.8.
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FLAG:
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On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available. To hide the feature per user,
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ask an administrator to [disable the feature flag](../administration/feature_flags.md) named `forti_token_cloud`.
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```
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And, when the feature is done and fully available to all users:
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```markdown
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> - Introduced in GitLab 13.7 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `forti_token_cloud`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Enabled on self-managed](https://gitlab.com/issue/etc) in GitLab 13.8.
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> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](https://gitlab.com/issue/etc) in GitLab 13.9.
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> - [Generally available](issue-link) in GitLab 14.0. Feature flag `forti_token_cloud` removed.
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```
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## Simplify long version history
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The version history can get long, but you can sometimes simplify or remove entries.
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Combine entries if they happened in the same release:
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- Before:
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```markdown
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> - [Introduced](issue-link) in GitLab 14.2 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `ci_include_rules`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](issue-link) in GitLab 14.3.
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> - [Enabled on self-managed](issue-link) in GitLab 14.3.
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```
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- After:
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```markdown
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> - [Introduced](issue-link) in GitLab 14.2 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `ci_include_rules`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed](issue-link) in GitLab 14.3.
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```
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Remove `Enabled on GitLab.com` entries when the feature is enabled by default for both GitLab.com and self-managed:
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- Before:
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```markdown
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> - [Introduced](issue-link) in GitLab 15.6 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `ci_hooks_pre_get_sources_script`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](issue-link) in GitLab 15.9.
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> - [Generally available](issue-link) in GitLab 15.10. Feature flag `ci_hooks_pre_get_sources_script` removed.
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```
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- After:
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```markdown
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> - [Introduced](issue-link) in GitLab 15.6 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `ci_hooks_pre_get_sources_script`. Disabled by default.
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> - [Generally available](issue-link) in GitLab 15.10. Feature flag `ci_hooks_pre_get_sources_script` removed.
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```
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