What are Experiments?

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• Overview
• Experiments vs. Extensions vs. Feature Flags
• When to use each:
• Why Experiments Matter
• For Users
• For the WPGraphQL Team
• Experiment Lifecycle
• Expected Timeline
• Current Experiments
• Example Experiments (For Developers)
• Getting Started
• Experiment Documentation
• Principles
• FAQ
• Are experiments safe to use?
• Will my site break if an experiment is removed?
• Can I keep using an experiment indefinitely?
• How do I provide feedback on an experiment?
• Can plugins create experiments?
• Support
• Next Steps

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WPGraphQL Experiments enable the core team to ship, iterate, and gather feedback on potential features without long-term compatibility commitments. This allows the community to "experience the future of WPGraphQL today" while maintaining a stable production API.

Overview

Experiments are optional, experimental features built into WPGraphQL core that you can enable or disable through the WordPress admin. They allow the WPGraphQL team to:

• Ship features faster: Get new capabilities into users' hands without waiting for perfect implementation
• Gather real feedback: Learn how features perform in production environments
• Iterate rapidly: Make breaking changes to experiments without violating semantic versioning
• Reduce risk: Test features with opt-in users before committing to long-term support

Experiments vs. Extensions vs. Feature Flags

Understanding the difference helps you choose the right tool for your needs:

Aspect	Experiments	Extensions (Plugins)	Feature Flags
Location	Built into WPGraphQL core	Separate plugins	External configuration
Activation	WordPress admin settings	Plugin activation	Code or environment variables
Breaking Changes	Allowed during experimental phase	Not recommended	Not applicable
Lifespan	Temporary (2-3 releases)	Indefinite	Project-specific
Maintenance	WPGraphQL core team	Extension authors	Application developers
Purpose	Testing future core features	Custom functionality	Deployment control

When to use each:

• Experiments: You want to try out upcoming WPGraphQL core features and provide feedback
• Extensions: You need custom functionality not planned for WPGraphQL core
• Feature Flags: You're controlling feature rollout in your own application code

Why Experiments Matter

For Users

• Early access: Try new features before they're officially released
• Influence development: Your feedback shapes what becomes part of WPGraphQL
• Safe testing: Enable/disable features without affecting your production site
• No waiting: Access cutting-edge capabilities without waiting for major releases

For the WPGraphQL Team

• Real-world validation: Test features with actual users and use cases
• Faster iteration: Make improvements based on feedback without breaking existing sites
• Risk reduction: Find issues before features become permanent
• Community engagement: Involve the community in the development process

Experiment Lifecycle

Every experiment follows a predictable lifecycle:

Proposed → Active → Feedback → Decision
                                    ↓
                    Graduate | Iterate | Deprecate
                        ↓         ↓          ↓
                    Stable   Active    Removed

1. Proposed: Feature idea is discussed and approved for experimentation
2. Active Experiment: Feature is available to enable but may change
3. Feedback Period: Community tests and provides feedback (2-3 releases)
4. Decision Point:
   • Graduate: Becomes a stable core feature (no more breaking changes)
   • Iterate: Continue experimenting with improvements
   • Deprecate: Marked for removal, users get migration guidance
5. Final State: Either stable in core or removed

Expected Timeline

• Active phase: 2-3 major releases minimum
• Deprecation notice: At least 1 major release before removal
• Total lifespan: Most experiments resolve within 4-6 releases

Current Experiments

To see which experiments are currently available:

1. Navigate to GraphQL > Settings > Experiments in your WordPress admin
2. Review the Experiments README on GitHub
3. Check release notes for the Experimental badge

Example Experiments (For Developers)

WPGraphQL includes several example experiments that are commented out by default in the codebase. These serve as practical, working examples for developers learning to create experiments:

• TestExperiment: A simple example that adds a testExperiment field to RootQuery
• TestDependantExperiment: Demonstrates required experiment dependencies
• TestOptionalDependencyExperiment: Demonstrates optional experiment dependencies

These examples are located in src/Experimental/Experiment/ and can be enabled by:

1. Uncommenting the imports and registrations in src/Experimental/ExperimentRegistry.php
2. Or registering them via the graphql_experiments_registered_classes filter

See Creating Experiments for more details on using these examples as inspiration for your own experiments.

Getting Started

Ready to try experiments?

• For Users: See Using Experiments to learn how to enable and test experiments
• For Developers: See Creating Experiments to build your own experiments
• For Contributors: See Contributing Experiments to add experiments to WPGraphQL core

Experiment Documentation

Each experiment includes comprehensive documentation in its own README.md file:

• What it does: Clear explanation of the experiment's purpose and functionality
• Schema changes: New types, fields, or modifications introduced
• Usage examples: GraphQL queries demonstrating the experiment in action
• Dependencies: Required and optional dependencies (if any)
• Known limitations: Current constraints or edge cases

When you activate an experiment, a link to its documentation is automatically included in the admin notice, providing immediate access to detailed information about how to use it.

Principles

The Experiments API follows these core principles:

1. Opt-in by default: Experiments never affect users who don't explicitly enable them
2. Clear communication: Every experiment clearly states its purpose and status
3. Time-bounded: Experiments must reach a decision; they cannot remain experimental indefinitely
4. Reversible: Users can always disable experiments and return to stable behavior
5. Isolated: Experiments should be independent and not break core functionality when disabled

FAQ

Are experiments safe to use?

Experiments are safe to enable but come with caveats:

• ✅ They won't break your site when enabled
• ✅ They can be disabled at any time
• ⚠️ They may have breaking changes in future releases
• ⚠️ They may be removed if not graduated

Recommendation: Test experiments in staging before enabling in production.

Will my site break if an experiment is removed?

No. When an experiment is removed or deprecated, you'll receive:

• Advance notice: At least one major release warning
• Migration guide: Instructions for adapting to changes
• Grace period: Time to test and migrate
• Fallback behavior: Your site will continue working with the experiment disabled

Can I keep using an experiment indefinitely?

No. Experiments are temporary by design. They will either:

• Graduate to core (becomes permanent, always enabled)
• Be deprecated and removed (you'll need to migrate away)

This prevents accumulation of experimental code and keeps WPGraphQL maintainable.

How do I provide feedback on an experiment?

We love feedback! You can:

1. GitHub Issues: Share detailed thoughts and use cases
2. GitHub Issues: Report bugs or unexpected behavior
3. Slack: Quick questions in the WPGraphQL Slack community
4. Twitter/X: Tag @wpgraphql with your experience

The more specific your feedback, the more valuable it is!

Can plugins create experiments?

The current Experiments API is designed for WPGraphQL core features only. Plugin authors should:

• Use traditional settings/options for their own features
• Consider feature flags in their own codebase
• Build extensions that can be optionally activated

Support

Need help with experiments?

• Documentation: Check the Using Experiments guide
• Community: Ask in GitHub Issues
• Issues: Report bugs in GitHub Issues
• Slack: Join the WPGraphQL Community Slack

Next Steps

• Using Experiments - How to enable and use experiments
• Creating Experiments - How to build experiments
• Contributing Experiments - How to contribute to WPGraphQL