How showwhat compares
Most feature flag tools are platforms: a dashboard, a database, an SDK that polls a server. showwhat is a different kind of tool — a definition format, a rule engine, and optional visual tooling. You bring the storage and workflow.
The OpenAPI + Swagger analogy
showwhat follows the same model as OpenAPI: a portable definition format with tooling built around it. Definitions are the source of truth.
| showwhat | SaaS platforms | OSS platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Specification-first | Platform-first | Platform-first |
| Type | Definition format + engine + visual tooling | Managed SaaS | SaaS or self-hosted |
| Source of truth | Your YAML/JSON definitions | Vendor database | Vendor database |
| Price | Free (MIT) | Free tier + paid | Free tier + paid |
| Infrastructure | None | Vendor-hosted | Vendor or self-hosted |
| Vendor lock-in | None | Yes | Partial (OSS core) |
| Config values | Any type | Boolean, string, number, JSON | Varies by platform |
| Governance | Your existing workflow (PRs, history, CI) | Built-in RBAC + audit | RBAC + audit (often paid tiers) |
| Visual editor | Configurator | Yes | Yes |
| Percentage rollouts | Via custom conditions | Yes | Yes |
| User targeting | Via custom conditions | Yes (segments + rules) | Yes (identities, attributes) |
SaaS platforms: e.g. LaunchDarkly. OSS platforms: e.g. Flagsmith, GrowthBook, Unleash. See each provider's pricing page for current details.
When showwhat fits
- Your team already uses Git-based workflows and wants flags and config to live alongside code
- You want to embed evaluation in your app, or serve definitions from your own API
- Code review, CI, and commit history are your governance model
- You need config values beyond booleans (objects, arrays, nested structures)
- You want to extend the condition system with your own evaluators via
registerEvaluators() - You need OpenFeature compatibility
Why choose showwhat:
- No per-seat pricing. MIT licensed. No usage tiers, no feature gates, no "talk to sales."
- No vendor dependency. If you stop using showwhat tomorrow, your definitions are still valid YAML or JSON.
- You choose the architecture. Embed definitions in your app, serve them from an endpoint, or store them in a database. showwhat is the engine. You decide how to deploy it.
- Governance you already have. Code review, branch protection, and CI are your approval workflow. No separate admin console to learn.
When a hosted platform is a better fit
If you need out-of-the-box enterprise multi-team governance, experimentation analytics, real-time streaming updates, or managed identity storage, a hosted platform handles that for you. showwhat gives you the building blocks. Platforms bundle the operations.