Say it like this
- We're planning to roll out the new dashboard next week.
- Let's roll this out to 10% of users first and see how it goes.
- The rollout is scheduled for Monday after the freeze ends.
- We rolled out the fix yesterday and the error rate dropped.
- Can we delay the rollout until after QA signs off?
Use it at work
Planning
- We'll roll out the feature next week.
- Let's roll out to 10% of users first.
Status
- The rollout is at 50%.
- We paused the rollout because of errors.
Process
- Can we roll out to Europe after the US?
- Who's watching the rollout?
Don't say this
You deploy to production (servers), but you roll out to users (people). Roll out focuses on who receives the change.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| roll out | Release gradually | Product, engineering | Launches |
| release | Make a new version available | Engineering | Any version |
| deploy | Put code on servers | Engineers | Many times a day |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. How would you tell your team about releasing a new feature?
2. Which sentence uses 'roll out' incorrectly?
3. We're planning a phased _____ to catch any issues early.
4. Change this to use 'roll out': 'We will give the new dashboard to all users next week.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 5
"We're planning to roll out the new dashboard next week."
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More about roll out
Real examples(7)
- Standup
"I'm working on the final tests before we roll out the payment feature tomorrow."
- Slack message
"Heads up: we're rolling out the new auth flow to 20% of users today."
- GitHub PR
"This PR adds the feature flag so we can roll out the change gradually."
- Jira ticket
"Roll out dark mode to all mobile users by end of Q2."
- Retrospective
"The rollout went smoothly because we tested with beta users first."
- Sprint planning
"We need two more sprints before we can roll out the redesign."
- Pair programming
"Let's add a toggle here so we can roll this out without affecting existing users."
More mistakes(2)
- ✕I rolled out my code yesterday.✓I pushed/deployed my code yesterday.
Roll out is for features or products reaching users, not for individual code commits.
- ✕We need to roll out this bug.✓We need to fix this bug.
Roll out means to release something new, not to solve a problem.
Other forms(4)
- roll out verb (base)
"We plan to roll out the feature next week."
- rolled out verb (past)
"We rolled out the update yesterday."
- rolling out verb (present participle)
"We're rolling out the changes now."
- rollout noun
"The rollout is scheduled for Monday."
Often used with(6)
- roll out a feature · The most common usage in software teams.
- roll out to users · Specifies who receives the release.
- roll out gradually · Release in stages, not all at once.
- roll out worldwide · Release to users in all countries.
- phased rollout · A planned release in stages over time.
- full rollout · When 100% of users have the feature.
Similar words(5)
- launch · More formal; often used for products or big releases.
- release · General term; roll out emphasizes gradual expansion.
- ship · Informal; common in startup culture.
- deploy · Technical; focuses on servers, not users.
- push out · Informal alternative; same meaning.
Opposites(5)
- roll back
- revert
- hold back
- pull
- withdraw
Questions(6)
- What is the difference between 'roll out' and 'deploy'?
- Deploy focuses on putting code on servers. Roll out focuses on making features available to users. You deploy code, then roll out the feature to users.
- Can I say 'roll out' for a small internal tool?
- Yes. You can roll out features to your team, to beta users, or to all users. The size doesn't matter—roll out works for any audience.
- Is 'rollout' one word or two?
- As a verb, it's two words: 'roll out.' As a noun, it's one word: 'rollout.' Example: 'We will roll out the feature. The rollout is Monday.'
- What does 'phased rollout' mean?
- A phased rollout means releasing in stages—first to 10% of users, then 50%, then 100%. This helps teams find bugs before everyone sees them.
- Can I use 'roll out' in a formal email to stakeholders?
- Yes. Roll out is professional and clear. It works in standups, Slack, and formal updates. Example: 'We plan to roll out the new system in Q3.'
- What is the opposite of 'roll out'?
- The opposite is 'roll back.' If you roll out a feature and find a problem, you roll back to the previous version.
