[goodoldneon]

Bespoke feature flag systems can become a quagmire. You might think “we only need a boolean value”, but then you need a number, and then you need a string, and then you need a UI to manage it, and then you have a 2nd service and DB and have to expose feature flags via an API endpoint, and then you realize that getting feature flag values via HTTP calls is causing latency and reliability issues, and then and then and then.

I worked at a company that went far down that slippery slope and now there’s and horribly convoluted bespoke feature flag system that no one enjoys using and no one wants to maintain.

I’ve used LaunchDarkly and it’s really nice. The only downsides I’ve experienced are:

- UI is complicated.

- They have the concept of end users but not end “organizations” (like “set this flag to X for an entire customer organization”). There are hacky ways to do this but they feel icky.

[hnbad]

Sure but by that logic you can outsource any component of your software from the start because it might evolve to be something more complex.

For contrast, adding another service that comes anywhere near touching user data (including user IDs or IP addresses) means doing due dilligence on another service provider, signing a data processing agreement with them, vetting their data protection claims, updating your privacy policy, adjusting your processes for users' data requests (including export, change and removal of their PII) and so on, not to mention adding another recurring expense, point of failure and third-party API dependency.

TINSTAAFL. Of course I understand for many companies (especially outside the EU) a service like this may be much closer to "free" because most companies try to get away with not doing even half of the things I described, whether or not that will come back to bite them. Especially if you're in the business of running a VC-backed startup designed for growth it's often a safer bet to ignore that your engine is on fire as long as you continue to go fast because if you can hit your target (i.e. "exit", whether via acquisition, acquihire or going public) in time that will be someone else's problem or no longer matter.