Forced decision methods for the JavaScript SDK v6+

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

The JavaScript SDK checks forced decisions before making any decisions. If a matching item is found for the requested flag, audience conditions and traffic allocation are ignored, and the SDK returns the forced decision immediately before making normal decisions.

Minimum SDK version

v6.0.0+

For versions 5.3.5 and below, see JavaScript (Browser) SDK or JavaScript (Node) SDK. See the SDK compatibility matrix documentation for a list of current SDK releases and the features they support.

Scenarios

The JavaScript SDK checks for forced decisions at the start of each decision process. If a matching forced decision is found, it returns the decision immediately.

• Flag-to-Decision – The SDK checks at the start of any decide call for the given flag.

• Experiment-Rule-to-Decision – The SDK checks at the start of the decision for the given experiment rule of the flag key.

• Delivery-Rule-to-Decision – The SDK checks at the start of the decision for the given delivery rule of the flag key.

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Warning

You must associate your variations to a flag rule before calling any forced decision methods.

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

📘

Note

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

Version

6.0.0 and higher

OptimizelyDecisionContext

export interface OptimizelyDecisionContext {
  flagKey: string;
  ruleKey?: string;
}

OptimizelyForcedDecision

export interface OptimizelyForcedDecision {
  variationKey: string;
}

Set forced decision method (setForcedDecision())

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

Parameters

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

Returns

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

Example

See the full code example section.

Get Forced Decision Method (getForcedDecision())

Returns the forced decision (variationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext. Returns the OptimizelyForcedDecision instance or null if there is no matching item.

Parameters

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

Returns

A forced decision OptimizelyForcedDecision instance for the context or null if there is no matching item.

Example

See the full code example section.

Remove forced decision method (removeForcedDecision())

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

Parameters

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

Returns

A success or failure boolean status if the forced decision (variationKey) was removed.

Example

See the full code example section.

Remove all forced decisions method (removeAllForcedDecisions())

Parameters

There are no required parameters for removeAllForcedDecisions().

Returns

A success or failure boolean status.

Example

See the full code example.

Full code example

import { createInstance, createPollingProjectConfigManager } from '@optimizely/optimizely-sdk';

const SDK_KEY = "YOUR_SDK_KEY";

const pollingConfigManager = createPollingProjectConfigManager({
  sdkKey: SDK_KEY,
});

const optimizely = createInstance({
  projectConfigManager: pollingConfigManager,
});


optimizely.onReady().then(() => {
  const attributes = { logged_in: true };
  const user = optimizely.createUserContext('user123', attributes);
  if (!user) {
    throw new Error('failed to create user context');
  }

  let result, decision, forcedDecision;

  // set a forced decision for a flag
  result = user.setForcedDecision({flagKey: 'flag-1'}, {variationKey: 'off'});
  decision = user.decide('flag-1');

  // set a forced decision for an ab-test rule
  result = user.setForcedDecision({flagKey: 'flag-2', ruleKey: 'ab-test-1'}, {variationKey: 'variation-b'});
  decision = user.decide('flag-2');

  // set a forced variation for a delivery rule
  result = user.setForcedDecision({flagKey: 'flag-3', ruleKey: 'delivery-1'}, {variationKey: 'on'});
  decision = user.decide('flag-3');

  // get forced variations
  forcedDecision = user.getForcedDecision({flagKey: 'flag-2'});

  // remove forced variations
  result = user.removeForcedDecision({flagKey: 'flag-2', ruleKey: 'ab-test-1'});
  user.removeAllForcedDecisions();
  user.decideAll();

}).catch((err) => {
  console.log(err);
  // handle error
});

See also

OptimizelyUserContext