CODEWITHSUNDEEP
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johnlemon
johnlemon

Reputation: 21479

Checkbox vs Radiobox

I have to display a form and the users must decide on selecting just one or no option.

A Checkbox will work but it's not mutually exclusive. A RadioBox will work but I will have to add an extra value with None.

What is the best practice for this ?

Update

Just to be clear an admin must decide if a user can edit or view an article. I would like a list of checkboxes with Edit(includes View) and View.

If I use 2 checkboxes then be can select both of them and that's not ok, cause Edit would be enought. If I use 2 radioboxes they will be excluded but I need an extra one for none. If I use a list that's not pretty.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 500

Answers (4)

Oded
Oded

Reputation: 499072

If you need to have a mutually exclusive choice, use a regular select or a list of radio buttons (with the extra option).

If it is a set of options (not mutually exclusive), use a multi select or checkboxes.

These are standard UI idioms and people are used to them - it is good practice to stick to them.

Update:

Since you are talking about a single choice (yes/no), a single checkbox is the right choice.

Upvotes: 3

Constantin Baciu
Constantin Baciu

Reputation: 234

It depends on whether you are willing to invest time into making a checkbox list mutually exclusive (you can google for some options using DHTML) or not. In my opinion, end-users are more likely to prefer check-boxes rather than radio-buttons. Even more, if they are not the standard check-boxes (using images for example) they are "more pleasing to the eye".

If you don't care for the "pleasing of the eyes" thing, you should go with radio-buttons.

Upvotes: 1

Mudassir
Mudassir

Reputation: 13174

Although, when allowing user to make only one selection, a Radio button is the best choice. But as you are giving user only one option, you should use a Check Box. It will allow user to deselect if he/she decided to do it after selection which he/she will not be able to do in case of a Radio button.

Upvotes: 2

Paulo Scardine
Paulo Scardine

Reputation: 77281

Radio with the extra option, select is hideous in terms of usability.

Upvotes: 3

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