Feature Flag Service Rule Versioning and Propagation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in efficiently managing and deploying feature flag changes, particularly in identifying updated rules and propagating them to software services without manual intervention or software redeployment.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for evaluating feature flags using a unique identifier and version control system, allowing for automatic detection of rule changes and immediate propagation to connected clients, with support for declarative query languages and caching for improved performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual management of feature flag rule changes is used, then changes can be tracked, but the process is impractical and time-consuming when multiple rule updates occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverule update efficiencyVSAvoidtime for managing rule changes

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects rule changes by comparing version identifiers and propagates updates to software services without manual intervention. The feature flag service monitors the repository for new versions, identifies changed rules through version ID comparison, and automatically distributes updated rules to connected services, eliminating the need for manual change management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If complete rule set comparison is performed to detect changes, then all changes are identified, but the process is inefficient and slow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechange detection accuracyVSAvoidchange detection speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the rule set into individually versioned rules, each with its own unique identifier. Instead of comparing entire rule sets, the system segments the comparison process by using version identifiers to quickly identify which specific rules have changed, then only propagates those individual changed rules rather than the complete rule set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If feature flag changes require code deployment, then changes are implemented, but the process is cumbersome and requires restarting services

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of feature flag changesVSAvoidcomplexity of deployment process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic feature flag rule updates that can be applied at runtime without requiring service restarts. The feature flag service loads rules at initialization and continues to monitor for updates, allowing rules to be modified and propagated dynamically while services remain running, making the system adaptable to changes without rigid deployment cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250028630A1Method for evaluation of feature flags

Publication Date: 2025.01.23 DEVREV INC

AI summary

A system and method to facilitate the evaluation of feature flags. The feature flags are operated by a set of rules also defined as a policy and these feature flags operate only when such conditions as prescribed in the policy are satisfied. The system and method define and store rules in a repository by assigning a unique identifier to each rule. Further, when a rule is updated, the new rule is assigned a new version identifier. A declarative query language is used for the rules to allow rule evaluation where inputs are provided to the rule evaluation that affects the resulting value. The system and method generated a defined type and an undefined type of response data as output after the evaluation of the input data.