---
title: Distribution Channels
description: >-
  Control which SDKs receive your feature flag configuration with distribution
  channels.
breadcrumbs: Docs > Feature Flags > Concepts > Distribution Channels
---

# Distribution Channels

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com, us2.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site.md). ({% placeholder "user-datadog-site-name" /%}).
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## Overview{% #overview %}

Distribution channels control which SDKs receive your flag configuration. When you create or edit a flag, you can set distribution channels to **Client**, **Server**, or both.

## Why use distribution channels{% #why-use-distribution-channels %}

Use distribution channels to protect sensitive configuration and reduce payload size.

### Protect sensitive configuration{% #protect-sensitive-configuration %}

Client-side SDKs fetch flag configuration over the network. Flag keys and variant values sent to client SDKs can be visible in API requests. Restrict server-only flags to the **Server** distribution channel to avoid exposing sensitive flag keys or variant values to client SDKs.

### Reduce payload size{% #reduce-payload-size %}

If you work with a large number of feature flags, limiting which flags each SDK type receives can reduce the size of the configuration payload. This can improve performance for client and server SDK initialization.

## Configure distribution channels{% #configure-distribution-channels %}

When you [create a feature flag](https://app.datadoghq.com/feature-flags/create), select which distribution channels should receive the flag:

- **Client**: Client-side SDKs only (browser and mobile)
- **Server**: Server-side SDKs only
- **Both**: All SDK types

You can also update distribution channels on an existing flag from the **Manage Implementation & Variants** section of the flag details page.

## Further reading{% #further-reading %}

- [Variants and Flag Types](https://docs.datadoghq.com/feature_flags/concepts/variants_and_flag_types.md)
- [Client-Side SDKs](https://docs.datadoghq.com/feature_flags/client.md)
- [Server-Side SDKs](https://docs.datadoghq.com/feature_flags/server.md)