> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.softlaunch.so/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How it works

> How flag configuration flows from the dashboard to your app.

Softlaunch is built around **local evaluation**. Your SDKs don't call an API for every flag check — they hold a snapshot of your configuration and evaluate flags in-process. This keeps evaluations instant and your app fast.

## The flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Configure">
    You define flags, environments, and targeting rules in the dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compile">
    Softlaunch compiles each environment's configuration into a compact snapshot whenever it changes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Distribute">
    The snapshot is served from a global CDN, cached close to your users.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Evaluate">
    Your SDK loads the snapshot once and evaluates flags locally — no network round trip per flag.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update">
    When configuration changes, connected SDKs receive the new snapshot in real time and re-evaluate.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Why it's built this way

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Fast" icon="gauge-high">
    Flags are evaluated in-process. A flag check is a local function call, not a network request.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reliable" icon="shield-check">
    Configuration is served from a CDN and cached in the SDK, so evaluation keeps working even through network blips.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Real-time" icon="bolt">
    Changes propagate to connected SDKs immediately, without polling.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Private" icon="lock">
    Configuration for public clients is obfuscated, so your targeting logic isn't exposed in the browser.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Data isolation

Each organization's data lives in its own isolated, database-per-tenant store. Your flags, environments, and configuration are never colocated with another organization's data.

<Note>
  Because evaluation happens locally against a cached snapshot, the user attributes you pass to an SDK stay in your application. Softlaunch evaluates flags without those attributes leaving your environment.
</Note>