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The “switch versus checkbox” advice in this post is not very clear, IMO. The essential difference is that a switch commits its state immediately, while a check
by pavlov 3y ago
The “switch versus checkbox” advice in this post is not very clear, IMO.
The essential difference is that a switch commits its state immediately, while a checkbox is part of a form that has a separate submit/apply action.
The real-world metaphors for these elements help remember the distinction. A light switch acts immediately. A checkbox printed on paper only takes effect when that form is processed somehow.
Another standard UI element that usually follows the same rule is radio buttons. They are form elements, and their immediate-effect counterpart is the multi-part button (which Apple calls “segmented control”).
- pupileater 3y agothis is correct. checkbox and radio buttons are form elements and it's helping the user to select choices before sending a form / finalizing. A switch is turning something on or off. a crude example: when you are ordering your porsche taycan you are using checkboxes to select additional features and radios to set the color of the car. this form will be finalized into an order, your selections cannot (or will not often) be changed later, a final choice has been made. your new porsche arrives and you start to set it up to your liking, you might switch on/off features the way you like and switch them back later in a different context. (you won't be able to remove features from your car, or add new one.) if changing a car's color is not a radio button anymore on an order sheet, then it might be just a switch or a more complex selector of different colors. look at the BMW i Vision Dee, its led panels all around, you won't have to choose a color before, they successfuly eliminated the need for a color selection before owning the car.
- deprecative 3y agoSure seems like this should be a drop down that updates a preview image in change.