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Forced Decision methods for the Go SDK

Describes the Forced Decision methods for the Feature Experimentation Go SDK, which you can use to force users into a specific variation in Optimizely.

These methods will help test and debug various flows of your client applications by forcing users into a specific variation.

The Go SDK will check forced decisions before making any decisions. If a matching item is found for the requested flag, the Go SDK will return the forced decision immediately (audience conditions and traffic allocations are ignored) before making normal decisions.

The following describes specific scenarios the Go SDK will follow:

Flag-to-Decision

  • SDK will look up at the beginning of any decide call for the given flag. If a matching Flag-to-Decision forced decision is found for the flag, it returns the decision.

Experiment-Rule-to-Decision

  • SDK will look up at the beginning of the decision for the given experiment rule (of the flag key). If a matching Experiment-Rule-to-Decision forced decision is found for the flag, it returns the decision.

Delivery-Rule-to-Decision

  • SDK will look up at the beginning of the decision for the given delivery rule (of the flag key). If a matching Delivery-Rule-to-Decision forced decision is found, it returns the decision.

❗️

Warning

You must associate your variation(s) to a flag rule before calling any Forced Decision methods.

On forced decisions, the Go SDK will fire impression events and notifications just like other normal decisions (unless disabled by the disableDecisionEvent option).

📘

Note

These forced decisions are not persistent and will be cleared when the OptimizelyUserContext is re-initialized.

For more information about each method click on the method name below:

OptimizelyDecisionContext

type OptimizelyDecisionContext struct {
	FlagKey string
	RuleKey string
}

OptimizelyForcedDecision

type OptimizelyForcedDecision struct {
	VariationKey string
}

Set Forced Decision Method - setForcedDecision()

Version

1.8.0 or higher

Description

Sets a forced decision (VariationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the Go SDK.

ParameterTypeDescription
context
required
StructAn instance of OptimizelyDecisionContext with the required FlagKey and optional RuleKey for the forced decision you want to set.
decision
required
StructAn instance of OptimizelyForcedDecision with the required VariationKey for the forced decision you want to set.

Returns

A boolean value that indicates if setting the forced decision (VariationKey) was completed successfully.

Example

See the full Go SDK example here.

Get Forced Decision Method - getForcedDecision()

Version

1.8.0 or higher

Description

Returns the forced decision (VariationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext. Returns the OptimizelyForcedDecision instance with error if there is no matching item.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the Go SDK.

ParameterTypeDescription
context
required
StructAn instance of OptimizelyDecisionContext with the required FlagKey and optional RuleKey for the forced decision you want to get.

Returns

A forced decision OptimizelyForcedDecision instance for the context with error if there is no matching item.

Example

See the full Go SDK example here.

Remove Forced Decision Method - removeForcedDecision()

Version

1.8.0 or higher

Description

Removes the forced decision (VariationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the Go SDK.

ParametersTypeDescription
context
required
StructAn instance of OptimizelyDecisionContext with the required FlagKey and optional RuleKey for the forced decision you want to remove.

Returns

A success/failure boolean status if the forced decision (VariationKey) was removed.

Example

See the full Go SDK example here.

Remove All Forced Decisions Method - removeAllForcedDecisions()

Version

1.8.0 or higher

Description

Removes all forced decisions (VariationKey) for the user context.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the Go SDK.

ParametersTypeDescription
NoneN/AN/A

Returns

A success/failure boolean status.

Example

See the full Go SDK example here.

Full Code Example

factory := &client.OptimizelyFactory{SDKKey: "sdk-key"}
if optimizely, err := factory.StaticClient(); err == nil {
  user := optimizely.CreateUserContext("test-user", map[string]interface{}{})

  flagContext := decision.OptimizelyDecisionContext{FlagKey: "flag-1"}
  flagAndABTestContext := decision.OptimizelyDecisionContext{FlagKey: "flag-1", RuleKey: "ab-test-1"}
  flagAndDeliveryRuleContext := decision.OptimizelyDecisionContext{FlagKey: "flag-1", RuleKey: "delivery-1"}
  variationAForcedDecision := decision.OptimizelyForcedDecision{VariationKey: "variation-a"}
  variationBForcedDecision := decision.OptimizelyForcedDecision{VariationKey: "variation-b"}
  variationOnForcedDecision := decision.OptimizelyForcedDecision{VariationKey: "on"}

  // set a forced decision for a flag
  success := user.SetForcedDecision(flagContext, variationAForcedDecision)
  decision := user.Decide("flag-1", nil)

  // set a forced decision for an ab-test rule
  success = user.SetForcedDecision(flagAndABTestContext, variationBForcedDecision)
  decision = user.Decide("flag-1", nil)

  // set a forced variation for a delivery rule
  success = user.SetForcedDecision(flagAndDeliveryRuleContext, variationOnForcedDecision)
  decision = user.Decide("flag-1", nil)

  // get forced variations
  if forcedDecision, err := user.GetForcedDecision(flagContext); err == nil {
    fmt.Println("[ForcedDecision] variationKey = " + forcedDecision.VariationKey)
  }

  // remove forced variations
  success = user.RemoveForcedDecision(flagAndABTestContext)
  success = user.RemoveAllForcedDecisions()
}

See Also

OptimizelyUserContext