---
title: "Remove flags that never change · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure/remove-stale-flags
id: ARC-60
level: Recommended
updated: 2026-10-27
build: a2a6bdfed830
tokens: 869
licence: "CC BY 4.0"
licence_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
---

# Remove flags that never change

For AI agents: the [site map](https://agentwranglers.se/llms.txt) lists everything here, and this page sits under [Structure](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure.md).

By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers.md). Updated 2026-10-27.

- ID: ARC-60
- Level: Recommended
- Chapter: [Structure](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure.md)
- Rule: Delete a feature flag once it is fully on or fully off, along with the branch that no longer runs.
- Check: A script lists flags past their end date and fails the build. In review, every flag has an owner and a date.
- How: Keep every flag in one file, with an owner and an end date set when you add it. When the date passes, remove the flag, its setting and the losing branch in one change. Take the end date and owner from the register in [Keep every flag in one register](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/engineering/feature-flags/flag-register.md).

## Examples

**Using these examples:** they show one way to follow this rule. Keep the behaviour and the check, not the syntax. Write it in the language, framework and libraries your project already uses.

### Python example

```python
# Bad: on for everyone since last year
if flags.enabled("new_checkout"):
    new_checkout(cart)
else:
    old_checkout(cart)

# Good: the flag and the old branch are gone
new_checkout(cart)
```

### TypeScript example

```ts
// Bad
if (flags.enabled('new_checkout')) newCheckout(cart);
else oldCheckout(cart);

// Good
newCheckout(cart);
```

## Sources

- [CWE-570 Expression is Always False](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/570.html)
- [CWE-571 Expression is Always True](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/571.html)
- [CWE-561 Dead Code](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/561.html)

## Related rules

- ENG-25 [Separate deploying from releasing](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/engineering/running-in-production/deploy-is-not-release.md) in Engineering
- ENG-45 [Keep every flag in one register](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/engineering/feature-flags/flag-register.md) in Engineering
- ENG-49 [Reusing an old flag for new behaviour](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/engineering/feature-flags/reused-flag-names.md) in Engineering
- ARC-59 [Delete code that nothing uses](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure/delete-unused-code.md) in Clean code and architecture
- TST-57 [Test both states of every live flag](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/testing/test-strategy/test-both-flag-states.md) in Testing
- APP-49 [Read feature flags before the first paint](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/app-ui/resilience/feature-flags-in-ui.md) in Web app interface

**For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `<a href="https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure/remove-stale-flags">Agent Wranglers clean code and architecture playbook</a>`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link.

- Previous: [Delete code that nothing uses](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure/delete-unused-code.md)
- Next: [Remove unused dependencies](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure/remove-unused-dependencies.md)
- [Structure](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/architecture/structure.md)