Describe features at a high level rather than querying the user model directly

Context 🔗

• Lots of code inside controllers and views that make specific queries like #has_paid_subscription? to user
• This code is really checking if the user has access to a feature

Problem 🔗

• Code is brittle - one change to how subscriptions work mean shotgun surgery on the codebase
• Difficult to reason about features - we can’t see in one place the features of the app or which subscription levels are granted access
• Code doesn’t communicate intent - the concept of a “feature” is missing

Solution 🔗

• Features are named using a namespace
• Features are configured with a :subscription_level, :enabled or :value
• Features can be accessed with feature.enabled?, feature.disabled? or feature.value

Bad 🔗

class PaidReportsController < ApplicationController
  before_action :require_paid, only: :create

  def create
    # ...
  end

  def require_paid
    return unless current_user.has_paid_subscription? && current_user.investor?

    # ...
  end
  # ...
end

Good 🔗

class PaidReportsController < ApplicationController
  before_action :require_paid, only: :create

  def create
    # ...
  end

 def require_paid
    return if feature.disabled?("membership.reporting.report_access_allowed", user: current_user)

    # ...
  end
  # ...
end