featuretemplated

Featuretemplated is a software design approach in which each feature is modeled as a reusable template that can be instantiated in different products or contexts. A feature template captures the common structure, behavior, and configuration of a feature, with domain-specific details provided as parameters. This promotes reuse and consistency across systems.

At the core, featuretemplated relies on a template library, a parameterization mechanism, and an instantiation process. Templates may cover code, UI, workflows, or integration logic. When instantiated, placeholders are filled with a domain model or configuration, producing a concrete feature variant.

Key components typically include a feature template catalog, a parameterization language or schema, a rendering or code generation step, and metadata for versioning and compatibility. Some implementations integrate with feature flags to enable or disable subfeatures during instantiation.

Applications span product line engineering, platform development, and multi-tenant applications, where teams want to assemble customized functionality from a shared set of templates while preserving governance and auditability.

Benefits include reduced boilerplate, faster onboarding, and improved consistency. Challenges involve managing template complexity, ensuring correct parameterization, tracking versions, and avoiding over-abstracted designs that hinder readability or performance.

Examples include templated authentication workflows, templated dashboards that adapt to data sources, and templated integrations that support multiple providers by swapping plug-ins.

See also: templating, feature flags, product line engineering, domain-specific languages.