# TODO: Runtime Flags / Toggle System for Dolphin

**Filed**: 2026-04-06  
**Priority**: Medium — needed before live trading

## Problem

Currently there is no way to input toggles/flags into the paper or live trading system
at runtime without editing code and restarting services. This creates operational friction
and risk (code edits in production).

## Current Workaround

Environment variables read at service startup:
- `DOLPHIN_FAST_RECOVERY=1` — bypasses bounded recovery in SurvivalStack (paper only)

## Desired Capabilities

1. **Runtime toggles** — change behavior without restart (e.g., via Hazelcast IMap or HTTP endpoint)
2. **Paper vs Live flags** — some toggles should only apply in paper mode
3. **Audit trail** — log when flags change, who changed them, previous value
4. **Safety** — certain flags (like disabling risk limits) should require confirmation or be paper-only

## Candidate Flags

| Flag | Description | Paper/Live |
|---|---|---|
| `FAST_RECOVERY` | Skip bounded recovery dynamics | Paper only |
| `FORCE_POSTURE` | Override posture to specific value | Paper only |
| `PAUSE_ENTRIES` | Stop new entries without changing posture | Both |
| `MAX_LEVERAGE_OVERRIDE` | Cap leverage below algo default | Both |
| `LOG_LEVEL` | Change log verbosity at runtime | Both |

## Implementation Options

1. **Hazelcast IMap** (`DOLPHIN_FLAGS`) — already have Hz, services already connected. Read on each tick. Simple.
2. **HTTP control plane** — small Flask/FastAPI sidecar. More discoverable, but another service.
3. **File-based** — watch a JSON file. Simple but no audit trail.

Recommendation: Start with option 1 (Hz IMap). One map, services poll it. TUI can show/edit flags.