user6166: I noticed that both the close and the flag button have the option to select duplicates. So what's the difference between closing a question as a duplicate or flagging a question as a duplicate?

user27: Before you had the close privilege you could have flagged a question to be a duplicate. That would make it appear in the close review queue (which you also have access to now).
Now you have the ability to cast close votes. The flagging dialog redirects you there, so you can't really flag for duplicate anymore, only vote to close.
Flagging on its own does nothing but alert, but 5 votes to close as duplicate will actually mark the question as a duplicate.

6166: <p>I noticed that both the close and the flag button have the option to select duplicates. So what's the difference between closing a question as a duplicate or flagging a question as a duplicate?</p>
 27: <p>Before you had the close privilege you could have flagged a question to be a duplicate. That would make it appear in the close review queue (which you also have access to now).</p>

<p>Now you have the ability to cast close votes. The flagging dialog redirects you there, so you can't really flag for duplicate anymore, only vote to close.</p>

<p>Flagging on its own does nothing but alert, but 5 votes to close as duplicate will actually mark the question as a duplicate.</p>
