Feature flags allow decoupling deployment from release, while role-based flags enable rolling out features for specific user roles like ADMIN or BETA_TESTER.
Two popular tools for implementing role-based feature flags in Spring Boot are Unleash and FF4J.
Unleash supports context-aware feature toggles, while FF4J offers a powerful feature toggle framework with support for custom authorization managers.
Best practices for managing role-based feature flags include consistent role naming, documenting feature access, limiting flag lifetime, securing access checks, testing flag behavior thoroughly, centralized context building, and auditing flag usage.