Forced Decision methods for the JavaScript (Node) SDK

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

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

The following describes specific scenarios the JavaScript 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, 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:

• setForcedDecision
• getForcedDecision
• removeForcedDecision
• removeAllForcedDecisions

OptimizelyDecisionContext

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

OptimizelyForcedDecision

export interface OptimizelyForcedDecision {
  variationKey: string;
}

Set Forced Decision Method - setForcedDecision()

Version

4.9.0

Description

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 successfully.

Example

See the full Javascript SDK example here.

Get Forced Decision Method - getForcedDecision()

Version

4.9.0

Description

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 Javascript SDK example here.

Remove Forced Decision Method - removeForcedDecision()

Version

4.9.0

Description

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/failure boolean status if the forced decision (variationKey) was removed.

Example

See the full Javascript SDK example here.

Remove All Forced Decisions Method - removeAllForcedDecisions()

Version

4.9.0

Description

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

Parameters

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

Returns

A success/failure boolean status.

Example

See the full Javascript SDK example here.

Full Code Example

const { createInstance } = require('@optimizely/optimizely-sdk');

const optimizely = createInstance({
  sdkKey: '<YOUR_SDK_KEY>'// Provide the sdkKey of your desired environment here
});

if (optimizely) {
  optimizely.onReady().then(({ success, reason }) => {
    if (!success) {
      throw new Error(reason);
    }

    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
  });
} else {
  // handle instantiation error
}

See Also

OptimizelyUserContext