Feature Flags

Flows allow you to add a special set of values called Feature Flags.  

This powerful function allows you to work with the Chain.io development team to test new features that we've developed in a single flow before it is released for general usage.

For example, we might be developing a new enhancement that allows you to take advantage of a new feature in your TMS to receive an extra reference number field on event messages.  You might have two separate flows where one is pointed to a test installation of your TMS and another is pointed to production.

Your TMS provider might give you a beta version of their software and you want to run it in your test environment.  In that case, your Chain.io account rep will give you a special Feature Flag value to put into your test flow to enable this new capability before it is fully released.  Your production flow won't be impacted at all.

If the new feature doesn't work as expected, you can just remove the feature flag and things will go back to the way they were until you're ready to try again.

Once the feature is fully deployed for all Chain.io customers you won't need the feature flag anymore and both your test and production environments will be back in sync.