Question

As you may know, Feature-Toggle is a method to deploy features that are not fully ready, and turn them on by using some configuration.
Features can be turned on for specific customers (A/B testing for example) or gradually for all customers when ready.

I wonder if anyone have an idea how to do it nicely in GWTP.
I thought that feature-toggle can be done in two ways (two scope-levels):
– Using deferred binding mechanism: replace implementation of required classes for a specific deployment (presenter-scope).
– Using different application pages – implement your own PlaceManager and navigate to different places containing the new features for a specific deployment (place-scope).

I assume that finer scopes (some features within a presenter, for example) should be controlled via “if-else”.

In order to decide which features are turned on, I want to use some kind of configuration (controlled maybe by a maven profile).
Is there a way to add custom configuration elements to the gwt.xml module configuration?

Any other idea how to implement feature-toggle?
Does someone have any experience with this method?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Both methods you suggested will work.

We have chose to implement feature toggle on a presenter level, using gin and deferred binding. we have two gin modules (lets call them A and B), and we install the proper one by using the deferred binding mechanism to create a property which we check.

another approach will be to add GateKeeper classes (GateKeeperA, GateKeeperB) that you can assign to the relevant presenters and switch using gin/deferred binding. those will implement the logic to allow/prevent access to the toggled features on the client side).