feat: add support for enabling/disabling experimental features in the app

bec_widgets/widgets/containers/dock_area/profile_utils.py

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Utilities for managing BECDockArea profiles stored in INI files.
 Policy:
 - All created/modified profiles are stored under the BEC settings root:
   <base_path>/profiles/{baseline,runtime}
+- App-wide dock-area metadata and feature flags are stored in
+    <base_path>/profiles/_meta.ini.
 - Bundled read-only baselines are discovered in BW core profiles and plugin
   bec_widgets/profiles but never written to.
 - Lookup order when reading: runtime → settings baseline → app or plugin bundled baseline.
@@ -463,6 +465,7 @@ SETTINGS_KEYS = {
     "manifest": "manifest/widgets",
     "created_at": "profile/created_at",
     "is_quick_select": "profile/quick_select",
+    "experimental_features": "app/experimental_features",
     "screenshot": "profile/screenshot",
     "screenshot_at": "profile/screenshot_at",
     "last_profile": "app/last_profile",
@@ -661,6 +664,28 @@ def set_last_profile(
         s.remove(key)
 
 
+def is_experimental_features_enabled() -> bool:
+    """
+    Check whether experimental features are enabled globally.
+
+    Returns:
+        bool: ``True`` when the global experimental flag is enabled.
+    """
+    s = _app_settings()
+    return s.value(SETTINGS_KEYS["experimental_features"], False, type=bool)
+
+
+def set_experimental_features_enabled(enabled: bool) -> None:
+    """
+    Persist the global experimental-features flag.
+
+    Args:
+        enabled (bool): ``True`` to enable experimental features, ``False`` to disable.
+    """
+    s = _app_settings()
+    s.setValue(SETTINGS_KEYS["experimental_features"], bool(enabled))
+
+
 def now_iso_utc() -> str:
     """
     Return the current UTC timestamp formatted in ISO 8601.

bec_widgets/widgets/containers/main_window/main_window.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from qtpy.QtWidgets import (
     QHBoxLayout,
     QLabel,
     QMainWindow,
+    QMessageBox,
     QStyle,
     QVBoxLayout,
     QWidget,
@@ -22,6 +23,10 @@ from bec_widgets.utils.bec_widget import BECWidget
 from bec_widgets.utils.colors import apply_theme
 from bec_widgets.utils.error_popups import SafeSlot
 from bec_widgets.utils.ui_loader import UILoader
+from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.dock_area.profile_utils import (
+    is_experimental_features_enabled,
+    set_experimental_features_enabled,
+)
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.main_window.addons.hover_widget import HoverWidget
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.main_window.addons.notification_center.notification_banner import (
     BECNotificationBroker,
@@ -343,6 +348,12 @@ class BECMainWindow(BECWidget, QMainWindow):
         widget_tree_action.triggered.connect(self._show_widget_hierarchy_dialog)
         theme_menu.addAction(widget_tree_action)
 
+        experimental_features_action = QAction("Enable Experimental Features", self, checkable=True)
+        experimental_features_action.setChecked(is_experimental_features_enabled())
+        experimental_features_action.toggled.connect(self._toggle_experimental_features)
+        theme_menu.addAction(experimental_features_action)
+        self._experimental_features_action = experimental_features_action
+
         # Set the default theme
         if hasattr(self.app, "theme") and self.app.theme:
             theme_name = self.app.theme.theme.lower()
@@ -417,6 +428,19 @@ class BECMainWindow(BECWidget, QMainWindow):
         """
         apply_theme(theme)  # emits theme_updated and applies palette globally
 
+    @SafeSlot(bool)
+    def _toggle_experimental_features(self, enabled: bool):
+        set_experimental_features_enabled(enabled)
+        reply = QMessageBox.question(
+            self,
+            "Restart Required",
+            "Experimental features require a restart to take effect. Restart the application now?",
+            QMessageBox.StandardButton.Yes | QMessageBox.StandardButton.No,
+            QMessageBox.StandardButton.No,
+        )
+        if reply == QMessageBox.StandardButton.Yes:
+            self.app.quit()
+
     def _show_widget_hierarchy_dialog(self):
         if self._widget_hierarchy_dialog is None:
             dialog = WidgetHierarchyDialog(root_widget=None, parent=self)

tests/unit_tests/test_dock_area.py

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.dock_area.profile_utils import (
     SETTINGS_KEYS,
     baseline_profile_path,
     get_profile_info,
+    is_experimental_features_enabled,
     is_profile_read_only,
     is_quick_select,
     list_profiles,
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.dock_area.profile_utils import (
     read_manifest,
     restore_runtime_from_baseline,
     runtime_profile_path,
+    set_experimental_features_enabled,
     set_quick_select,
     write_manifest,
 )
@@ -1443,6 +1445,20 @@ class TestWorkSpaceManager:
         assert is_quick_select(name) is (not initial)
         assert target.refresh_calls >= 1
 
+    def test_global_experimental_features_flag_persists(self):
+        assert is_experimental_features_enabled() is False
+
+        set_experimental_features_enabled(True)
+
+        assert is_experimental_features_enabled() is True
+        meta_path = os.path.join(os.environ["BECWIDGETS_PROFILE_DIR"], "_meta.ini")
+        assert (
+            QSettings(meta_path, QSettings.IniFormat).value(
+                SETTINGS_KEYS["experimental_features"], type=bool
+            )
+            is True
+        )
+
     def test_save_current_as_profile_with_target(self, qtbot, workspace_manager_target):
         name = "profile_save"
         self._create_profiles([name])

tests/unit_tests/test_main_widnow.py

@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
+import os
 import webbrowser
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 import pytest
-from qtpy.QtCore import QEvent, QPoint, QPointF
+from qtpy.QtCore import QEvent, QPoint, QPointF, QSettings
 from qtpy.QtGui import QEnterEvent
-from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication, QFrame, QLabel
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication, QFrame, QLabel, QMessageBox
 
+from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.dock_area.profile_utils import SETTINGS_KEYS
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.main_window.addons.hover_widget import (
     HoverWidget,
     WidgetTooltip,
@@ -112,6 +114,35 @@ def test_hidden_scan_progress_parent_blocks_children_namespace(bec_main_window):
     assert nested_progress.parent_id == hidden_progress.gui_id
 
 
+def test_experimental_features_menu_action_persists_flag(
+    monkeypatch, tmp_path, qtbot, mocked_client
+):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("BECWIDGETS_PROFILE_DIR", str(tmp_path))
+    widget = BECMainWindow(client=mocked_client)
+    qtbot.addWidget(widget)
+    qtbot.waitExposed(widget)
+
+    action = widget._experimental_features_action
+    assert action.isCheckable()
+    assert action.isChecked() is False
+
+    quit_calls = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(widget.app, "quit", lambda: quit_calls.append(True))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(QMessageBox, "question", lambda *args, **kwargs: QMessageBox.Yes)
+
+    action.setChecked(True)
+    action.setChecked(False)
+
+    meta_path = os.path.join(str(tmp_path), "_meta.ini")
+    assert (
+        QSettings(meta_path, QSettings.Format.IniFormat).value(
+            SETTINGS_KEYS["experimental_features"], type=bool
+        )
+        is False
+    )
+    assert quit_calls == [True, True]
+
+
 #################################################################
 # Tests for BECMainWindow Addons
 #################################################################