Forrst Blog: How we deploy new features on Forrst

http://blog.forrst.com/post/782356699/how-we-deploy-new-features-on-forrst

by schapman623 • 16 years ago

54 15 16 years ago

blog.forrst.com

zalew• 16 years ago

This idea is also well explained here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1463751

technoweenie4• 16 years ago

How do you modify the buckets? Do you have to tweak a config file and push it out to your servers?

kylebragger3• 16 years ago

Right now, yes. Deploys happen frequently enough and are sufficiently fast that I can get something disabled globally in under 30 seconds. The next iteration of this stuff I'm building now; goals are standalone library, more DRY, and some kind of simple web UI where I can do the global enable/disable actions. I'll likely stick to manipulating buckets in config files for the foreseeable future; it's being able to mass-enable/disable that I need to refine.

technoweenie4• 16 years ago

I've started using Redis key/set operations for things like this at GitHub. The nice thing is that these techniques are all simple, and it's easy to modify to fit your evolving needs.

sync• 16 years ago

Wouldn't this make debugging and (manual) testing so much more difficult?

kylebragger3• 16 years ago

How so? I'm not sure I follow...

technoweenie4• 16 years ago

Not really. You just add extra tests for your new functionality as usual. If you're replacing old functionality, you'll have duplicated tests until the feature is rolled out for everyone.

I think the key is being able to tell if bug reports are related to an activated feature. For instance, our error tracker tells us which user account triggered the error. From there, we can see what new features they have enabled, and factor that into our debugging.

patio11• 16 years ago

Feature flags are essentially identical to operating A/B tests in this respect, right? I have a magic button which logs me in as a target user, and it reproduces exactly what they would see, including the results of A/B tests. This helps to reproduce unanticipated interactions between tests. (This has only happened maybe twice, but they were doozies.)

godel• 16 years ago

I really don't see Flickr's (or Forrst's) approach a "trick" or feature. I think most deployment techniques come out of a desire NOT to deploy like Flickr(or Forrst).

justin• 16 years ago

Where can I get an invite? I applied on the site but haven't heard anything and I can't wait any more!!!!!

mhunter• 16 years ago

e-mail me mjhunter [at] gmail

Forrst Blog: How we deploy new features on Forrst

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