Handling auto-disable pref situations

[thomaselin]

Just wondering how this process would work when a feature is enabled by default in Nightly but set to auto-disable in Beta/Release? The Layout team commonly uses this tactic to test new features in Nightly and gather feedback.

When the feature is ready they then land a bug that removes the auto-disable and let's the feature ride the trains pref'd ON by default.

Example; Shapes outside
layout.css.shape-outside.enabled
Bug to enable in Nightly only (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1353631)
Bug filed to remove auto-disable in Beta and Release (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1457297)

[emceeaich]

And we don't use a feature flag server for this, we set the prefs in the build?

…

On Tue, May 1, 2018 at 3:27 PM Thomas Elin ***@***.***> wrote: Just wondering how this process would work when a feature is enabled by default in Nightly but set to auto-disable in Beta/Release? The Layout team commonly uses this tactic to test new features in Nightly and gather feedback. When the feature is ready they then land a bug that removes the auto-disable and let's the feature ride the trains pref'd ON by default. Example; Shapes outside layout.css.shape-outside.enabled Bug to enable in Nightly only ( https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1353631) Bug filed to remove auto-disable in Beta and Release ( https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1457297) — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AJrR_Bi88lAw0itVvo6qIRDrdjwQs8bmks5tuOFbgaJpZM4Tul-v> .

[pascalchevrel]

And we don't use a feature flag server for this, we set the prefs in the build?

yes, the channel specific build-defines are documented here:
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Platform/Channel-specific_build_defines

[emceeaich]

@thomaselin, I'm going to draft a PR which tries to describe this workflow, cribbing from your description, and ask for your review.

[emceeaich]

I'm going to close this as this version of the Features Flags work is obsoleted by the Feature Tracking work.