--- title: Create feature flags slug: feature-experimentation/docs/create-feature-flags docTags: createdAt: 2026-08-05T20:39:56.000Z --- Feature flags, also called feature toggles, permission toggles, or flags, let you turn certain functionality on and off without deploying code. They give you full control over the lifecycle of a feature. With feature flags, you can: - Release code without exposing it to users by keeping the flag off. - Gradually roll out a feature to a portion of your user base. - Validate functionality and performance before a full release. ## Permissions required to create a flag To create a flag in Feature Experimentation, you must have access to an environment in the project. When a collaborator creates a flag, they are automatically assigned the **Admin** role for that flag. :::hint{type="info"} **Note** To create a flag or audience, a collaborator must have **Editor** or above access in at least one environment. If your project does not use granular permissions, the collaborator must have an **Editor** or above project role. ::: ## Create a flag ### With the Feature Experimentation API Use the [Create a New Flag](docId\:CTWH5Tbe0JL-7lYixhtAv) endpoint. **Endpoint** – `POST https://api.optimizely.com/flags/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags` **Authentication** – Include your API key in the `Authorization` header as a Bearer token. See [Generate tokens and use the REST APIs](docId\:pQfa5KPTbmy6crey-nsrd). **Request example** :::hint{type="info"} Replace placeholder text written in all caps with underscores with your information. ::: ```curl curl --request POST \ --url https://api.optimizely.com/flags/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags \ --header 'accept: application/json' \ --header 'content-type: application/json' \ --header 'authorization: Bearer TOKEN' \ --data ' { "outlier_filtering_enabled": BOOLEAN_VALUE, "description": "FLAG_DESCRIPTION", "key": "FLAG_KEY", "name": "FLAG_NAME" } ' ``` **Response example** ```json { "key": "doc-test-flag", "name": "Doc test flag", "description": "Flag created via the API", "url": "/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags/doc-test-flag", "update_url": "/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags", "delete_url": "/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags/doc-test-flag", "archive_url": "/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags/archived", "variable_definitions": {}, "environments": { "production": { "key": "production", "name": "Production", "enabled": false, "has_restricted_permissions": true, "priority": 1, "rules_summary": {}, "rules_detail": [], "id": ENVIRONMENT_ID, "enable_url": "/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags/doc-test-flag/environments/production/ruleset/enabled", "created_time": "2025-04-14T19:48:26.000000Z" }, "development": { "key": "development", "name": "Development", "enabled": false, "has_restricted_permissions": false, "priority": 2, "rules_summary": {}, "rules_detail": [], "id": ENVIRONMENT_ID, "enable_url": "/projects/PROJECT_ID/flags/doc-test-flag/environments/development/ruleset/enabled", "created_time": "2025-04-14T19:48:26.000000Z" } }, "id": ID, "urn": "flags.flags.optimizely.com::ID", "archived": false, "outlier_filtering_enabled": true, "project_id": PROJECT_ID, "created_by_user_id": "USER@optimizely.com", "created_by_user_email": "USER@optimizely.com", "account_id": ACCOUNT_ID, "role": "admin", "created_time": "2025-09-12T16:16:10.260857Z", "updated_time": "2025-09-12T16:16:10.260859Z", "revision": 1 } ``` See the [Create a New Flag](docId\:CTWH5Tbe0JL-7lYixhtAv) endpoint reference for the full list of parameters. You can also follow the [REST API cookbook](docId\:hxlniGd5F_X7vj_ttanPB) and see [step one to create a flag](docId\:obrPL43DVbqQYyUSM3bkR). ### With the Feature Experimentation UI See [Create a flag](docId\:j7bgkTxrI8VN_z2dOZu1R) in the user documentation for a step-by-step guide. ## Implement the feature flag :::hint{type="info"} Before implementing the flag, decide how to pass user identifiers to Feature Experimentation. This ensures each user has a consistent experience of the flag being on or off. See [Handle user IDs](docId\:j0PPoMJWYbz04K76EKLUI) for information. ::: After you create the flag in the Feature Experimentation dashboard, you need to integrate it with your application code. Use the `Decide` method to enable or disable the flag for a user. ```csharp // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation var user = optimizely.CreateUserContext("user123", new UserAttributes { { "logged_in", true } }); var decision = user.Decide("flag_1"); var enabled = decision.Enabled; ``` ```go // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation user := optimizely.CreateUserContext("user123", map[string]interface{}{"logged_in": true}) decision := user.Decide("flag_1", nil) enabled := decision.Enabled ``` ```dart // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation var user = await flutterSDK.createUserContext(userId: "user123"); var decisionResponse = await user!.decide("flag_1"); var decision = decisionResponse.decision; var enabled = decision!.enabled; ``` ```java // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation OptimizelyUserContext user = optimizely.createUserContext("user123", new HashMap() { { put("logged_in", true); } }); OptimizelyDecision decision = user.decide("flag_1"); Boolean enabled = decision.getEnabled(); ``` ```javascript // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation const user = optimizely.createUserContext('user123', { logged_in: true }); const decision = user.decide('flag_1'); const enabled = decision.enabled; ``` ```php // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation $user = $optimizely->createUserContext('user123', ['logged_in' => true]); $decision = $user->decide('flag_1'); $enabled = $decision->getEnabled(); ``` ```python # Decide if user sees a feature flag variation user = optimizely.create_user_context("user123", {"logged_in": True}) decision = user.decide("flag_1") enabled = decision.enabled ``` ```javascript // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation var [decision] = useDecision('flag_1', { overrideUserAttributes: { logged_in: true }}); var enabled = decision.enabled; ``` ```ruby # Decide if user sees a feature flag variation user = optimizely_client.create_user_context('user123', {'logged_in' => true}) decision = user.decide('flag_1') enabled = decision.enabled ``` ```swift // Decide if user sees a feature flag variation let user = optimizely.createUserContext(userId: "user123", attributes: ["logged_in":true]) let decision = user.decide(key: "flag_1") let enabled = decision.enabled ``` For more detailed examples of each SDK, see the following: - [Android SDK example usage](docId\:nQkw1CJn6rhkkZcHUhWlu) - [Go SDK example usage](docId\:BtqVa7hPVV3lakICHOePE) - [C# SDK example usage](docId\:TcOrbpenEwK6XfJSXEWhQ) - [Flutter SDK example usage](docId\:aZh7xqKhZ9b8I15ukdQnS) - [Java SDK example usage](docId\:oczD_Ka_bhgCygo60xG31) - [JavaScript SDK example usage](docId\:Hd7ZwchAg70iG5S_5kgpM) – SDK versions 6.0.0 and later. - [JavaScript (Browser) SDK example usage](docId\:c8V_lO-12gUfsBNUuczJI) – SDK versions 5.3.5 and earlier. - [JavaScript (Node) SDK example usage](docId:0lhn1UwOiZajgk6h-cq2a) – SDK versions 5.3.5 and earlier. - [PHP SDK example usage](docId\:QDWBJTJc3c2qnd5EhAPQ9) - [Python SDK example usage](docId:0Afx9oaNuXQo-439j2JzL) - [React SDK example usage](docId:2XkPexPChtoDBKgmaMEEm) - [React Native SDK example usage](docId\:T0f9Tr5okeK8AZzy6CA8l) - [Ruby SDK example usage](docId\:Oh9NVDFfn7X-s1WTLfPUY) - [Swift SDK example usage](docId:3ZVLXuKme4kiqdO2Yt_H1) Adapt the integration code in your application. Show or hide the flag's functionality for a given user ID based on the boolean value your application receives. The [\`Decide method\`](docId:-yq2-thNRv7-SgwCXpG90) separates code deployment from the decision to show a feature. The flag's rules determine the result. For example, it returns false if the user is assigned to the control or "off" variation in an experiment. ## Next steps To deliver feature flag configurations, see [Create flag variations](docId\:nmipY0LAkbpzTcsggjlPn).