# Managing Flipt

> Use when working with Flipt — flipt feature flag management, segment-based targeting, rule configuration, and namespace organization. Covers flag and variant management, segment constraints, distribution rules, rollout percentages, and audit logging. Use when managing feature flags, configuring targeting segments, reviewing flag evaluations, or auditing changes in Flipt.

- Skill: `cloudthinker-ai/managing-flipt` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cloudthinker-ai/managing-flipt`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cloudthinker-ai/managing-flipt/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector CAUTION)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: cloudthinker-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/cloudthinker-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cloudthinker-ai/managing-flipt

---


# Flipt Management Skill

Manage and analyze feature flags, segments, rules, and namespaces in Flipt.

## API Conventions

### Authentication
All API calls use the `Authorization: Bearer $FLIPT_API_KEY` header. Never hardcode tokens.

### Base URL
`$FLIPT_URL/api/v1` (self-hosted, typically `http://localhost:8080/api/v1`)

### Core Helper Function

```bash
#!/bin/bash

FLIPT_BASE="${FLIPT_URL:-http://localhost:8080}"

flipt_api() {
    local method="$1"
    local endpoint="$2"
    local data="${3:-}"

    if [ -n "$data" ]; then
        curl -s -X "$method" \
            -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIPT_API_KEY" \
            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
            "${FLIPT_BASE}/api/v1${endpoint}" \
            -d "$data"
    else
        curl -s -X "$method" \
            -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIPT_API_KEY" \
            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
            "${FLIPT_BASE}/api/v1${endpoint}"
    fi
}
```

## Output Rules
- **TOKEN EFFICIENCY**: Extract only needed fields with `jq`
- Target <=50 lines per script output
- Never dump full API responses

## Discovery Phase

### List Namespaces and Flags

```bash
#!/bin/bash
echo "=== Namespaces ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces" \
    | jq -r '.namespaces[] | "\(.key)\t\(.name)\t\(.description[0:40])"' | column -t

echo ""
NAMESPACE="${1:-default}"
echo "=== Flags in ${NAMESPACE} ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/flags" \
    | jq -r '.flags[] | "\(.type)\t\(.key)\t\(.enabled)\t\(.name[0:40])"' | column -t | head -25
```

### List Segments

```bash
#!/bin/bash
NAMESPACE="${1:-default}"

echo "=== Segments ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/segments" \
    | jq -r '.segments[] | "\(.key)\t\(.name)\t\(.matchType)\t\(.constraints | length) constraints"' \
    | column -t | head -20
```

## Analysis Phase

### Flag Details and Rules

```bash
#!/bin/bash
NAMESPACE="${1:-default}"
FLAG_KEY="${2:?Flag key required}"

echo "=== Flag Details ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/flags/${FLAG_KEY}" \
    | jq '{key, name, type, enabled, variants: [.variants[].key]}'

echo ""
echo "=== Rules ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/flags/${FLAG_KEY}/rules" \
    | jq -r '.rules[] | "\(.rank)\t\(.segmentKey)\t\(.distributions | map("\(.variant.key):\(.rollout)%") | join(", "))"' \
    | column -t

echo ""
echo "=== Rollouts (boolean flags) ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/flags/${FLAG_KEY}/rollouts" \
    | jq -r '.rules[] | "\(.rank)\t\(.type)\t\(.segment.segmentKey // "threshold")\t\(.threshold.percentage // "segment-based")%"' \
    | column -t 2>/dev/null
```

### Audit Overview

```bash
#!/bin/bash
NAMESPACE="${1:-default}"

echo "=== Flag Summary ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/flags" \
    | jq '{
        total: (.flags | length),
        enabled: ([.flags[] | select(.enabled)] | length),
        disabled: ([.flags[] | select(.enabled | not)] | length),
        by_type: (.flags | group_by(.type) | map({(.[0].type): length}) | add)
    }'

echo ""
echo "=== Segments Summary ==="
flipt_api GET "/namespaces/${NAMESPACE}/segments" \
    | jq -r '.segments[] | "\(.key)\t\(.matchType)\t\(.constraints | length) constraints"' | column -t | head -10
```

## Output Format
- Use tab-separated columns with `column -t`
- Limit lists to 15-25 items
- Show summaries before details

## Anti-Hallucination Rules

1. **NEVER assume resource names** — always discover via CLI/API in Phase 1 before referencing in Phase 2.
2. **NEVER fabricate metric names or dimensions** — verify against the service documentation or `--help` output.
3. **NEVER mix CLI commands between service versions** — confirm which version/API you are targeting.
4. **ALWAYS use the discovery → verify → analyze chain** — every resource referenced must have been discovered first.
5. **ALWAYS handle empty results gracefully** — an empty response is valid data, not an error to retry.

## Counter-Rationalizations

| Shortcut | Counter | Why |
|----------|---------|-----|
| "I'll skip discovery and check known resources" | Always run Phase 1 discovery first | Resource names change, new resources appear — assumed names cause errors |
| "The user only asked for a quick check" | Follow the full discovery → analysis flow | Quick checks miss critical issues; structured analysis catches silent failures |
| "Default configuration is probably fine" | Audit configuration explicitly | Defaults often leave logging, security, and optimization features disabled |
| "Metrics aren't needed for this" | Always check relevant metrics when available | API/CLI responses show current state; metrics reveal trends and intermittent issues |
| "I don't have access to that" | Try the command and report the actual error | Assumed permission failures prevent useful investigation; actual errors are informative |

## Common Pitfalls
- **Self-hosted**: Base URL varies per installation -- always use `$FLIPT_URL` env variable
- **Flag types**: `VARIANT_FLAG_TYPE` (multi-variant) and `BOOLEAN_FLAG_TYPE` (simple on/off)
- **Namespaces**: Flags and segments are scoped to namespaces -- default namespace is `default`
- **Match types**: Segments use `ALL_MATCH_TYPE` (AND) or `ANY_MATCH_TYPE` (OR) for constraints
- **Rules vs rollouts**: Variant flags use rules with distributions; boolean flags use rollouts
- **GitOps support**: Flipt supports declarative flag management via YAML files