[BE] My VA Forms Status: create vets-api feature flag

[ajakabcin]

Background

We need to set up a backend feature flag for vets-api ahead of connecting to POST /uploads/report endpoint form vets api and expose the new vets api endpoint to the frontend.

Tasks

• [x] check in w/ Tom
• [x] determine protocol for new vets-api endpoint
• [x] link to platform documentation
• [x] ~FE and~ BE flag created

Acceptance Criteria

• [x] feature flag is available for use (or alternative method is working as suggested by protocol or BE CoP)
• [x] feature flag is turned OFF
• [x] new vets-api endpoint release plan is understood

Validation

• Who can validate this ticket? (FE, BE, Design, PM)?: Tom, BE CoP (for code review). we can verify flipper ourselves
• How can this work be validated? : Feature flags are available for use on staging (https://staging-api.va.gov/flipper/features). Plan for new endpoint release is understood. If alternative plan becomes necessary, we'll follow up on validation options.

[DanielMiller-agile6]

there were a couple of docs, but I'll most likely be using these to start with (along with bugging Tom from time to time lol): https://github.com/department-of-veterans-affairs/va.gov-team-sensitive/blob/master/tutorials/README.md

There is another tutorial about setting up a "module" for new endpoints, but that may not be our best option at the moment, since MyVA doesn't have a module, and we tend to use endpoints created by other teams when aggregating dashboard content.

~We'll likely start with a "service" for making the lighthouse request (following similar patterns as other files in vets-api), and then work on the vets-api controller and new endpoint.~ EDIT: looks like the service has already been created! So we can try to use this while starting with our controller: https://github.com/department-of-veterans-affairs/vets-api/blob/master/lib/benefits_intake_service/service.rb#L64

I also found that we can use feature flags to disable entire endpoints at the controller level, so that will be the way we handle enabling/disabling functionality.

Here's a slack thread i was pointed to for more information: https://dsva.slack.com/archives/CBU0KDSB1/p1702311554281399

[DanielMiller-agile6]

BE feature flag PR: https://github.com/department-of-veterans-affairs/vets-api/pull/16765

[DanielMiller-agile6]

BE feature flag/toggle/flipper id added in vets-api PR: https://github.com/department-of-veterans-affairs/vets-api/pull/16765

[ACParker89]

Potential rollover ticket @ajakabcin - 1pt (drop to 0 for code review)

[DanielMiller-agile6]

dropped to 0. validated new flipper/flag/toggle. Alison has another ticket for the FE toggle, so this ticket is just handles the vets-api piece for new flag we can use for our form status work.

I verified the my_va_lighthouse_uploads_report now exists for staging and prod, so Allison's ticket can add the corresponding name to our json file in vets-website.

[ajakabcin]

Confirmed with Daniel we're good to close this out.