Flags & @PipeFlag

Flags are remotely controllable variables that you can change from the PipeKit dashboard without shipping an app update. Think of them as feature flags with real-time push delivery.

What is a Flag?

A flag is a typed Swift property annotated with @PipeFlag that registers itself with PipeKit at app launch. The property works exactly like a normal variable, but its value can be overridden remotely from the dashboard in real-time.

Flags are safe by design. They only accept values that match the declared type. If the PipeKit server is unreachable, the compiled default value is used. Your app always works, with or without a connection.

Declaring a Flag

Use the @PipeFlag macro on a stored property with a default value. Supported types are Bool, Int, Double, and String.

import PipeKitSDK

class AppFlags {
    @PipeFlag var isMaintenanceMode = false
    @PipeFlag var maxRetries = 3
    @PipeFlag var refreshInterval = 30.0
    @PipeFlag var welcomeMessage = "Hello!"
}

Custom Display Names

By default, the property name is used as the flag identifier in the dashboard. You can provide a custom display name for better readability.

@PipeFlag("api-endpoint")
var apiEndpoint = "https://api.prod.com/v2"

@PipeFlag("cdn-url")
var cdnBaseURL = "https://cdn.pipekit.dev"

How It Works

The @PipeFlag macro transforms your stored property into a computed property backed by PipeKit's FlagStore. Here's the lifecycle:

Value Resolution Priority

When your code reads a flag property, the value is resolved in this order:

Using Flags in Code

Read and write flags just like normal properties. No async, no callbacks, no special APIs.

let flags = AppFlags()

// Reading — returns the current effective value
if flags.isMaintenanceMode {
    showMaintenanceBanner()
}

// Writing — sets a local override (does not push to server)
flags.maxRetries = 5

Device Targeting

Flag overrides can target all devices or specific devices. This is useful for gradual rollouts, A/B testing, or debugging a specific user's device.

Managing Flags in the Dashboard

The Flags page in the dashboard shows all registered flags for your app. For each flag you can see:

• Flag name and identifier
• Type badge (Bool, Int, Double, String)
• Compiled default value
• Current override value (if any)
• Device targeting status
• Last reported timestamp

Click the edit icon to push an override, or the trash icon to remove it. When you remove an override, all devices revert to the compiled default. Changes are pushed in real-time via WebSocket.

Supported Types

Best Practices