Checkboxes
<gcds-checkboxes>

Also called: checklist, check list.

Checkboxes provide a set of options for multiple responses.

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On this page

• Coding and accessibility for checkboxes
• Examples
• Code builder

Coding and accessibility for checkboxes

Apply required attributes

For the checkboxes to function properly, always use the following attributes with gcds-checkboxes:

• name
• options

Use the options attribute with checkboxes

The options attribute takes an array of objects to render each checkbox. The following is an example of one of the objects:

{
  'id'!: '',
  'label'!: '',
  'value'?: '',
  'checked'?: '',
  'hint'?: '',
}

Within the options attribute, always use the object's id and label properties for each checkbox. The rest of the properties are optional.

Use the value attribute

• The value attribute provides a quick reference to the values of checked checkboxes inside the gcds-checkboxes component.
• value is formatted as an array of strings. Example: [“checkboxOneValue”, checkboxTwoValue”]

Handle error messages and validation

• Use the required attribute to activate the required validator. Validation will happen by default on the onBlur event. A missing or invalid entry will prompt an inline error message with preset text.

• If you need to change the validation event, use the validate-on attribute. Validation can happen on blur, when the element loses focus, or manually with the validate() method.

• Use the required attribute for fields that must be filled in. This places "required" at the end of the label.

• Use the error-message attribute to include an error message text for all required inputs. Avoid using error messages for optional ones.

• For optional fields, avoid adding the error-message attribute.

• For an optional field that needs validation based on user input (like validating an email address format), opt to add custom validation with a custom error message.

For a group of checkboxes

• Use the legend attribute when passing more than one object to the options attribute. gcds-checkboxes will not render if there is no legend defined with more than one checkbox.
• Use the hint and error-message attributes to add additional information to the fieldset built into gcds-checkboxes.

For a single checkbox

• Pass a single object to the options attribute to render a single checkbox without a fieldset.
• Use the hint and error-message attributes to add additional information to the checkbox.

Hide the checkboxes legend or labels

• Visually hide the legend or label, while maintaining it for assistive technologies.
  • Set the hide-legend attribute to true to visually hide the legend for checkbox groups.
  • Set the hide-label attribute to true to visually hide the label for a single checkbox.
• Avoid adding hint text when you’re hiding the legend or else provide an empty hint string.

In this section

• Essential attributes
• Optional attributes

legend

The legend attribute defines the legend for a group of checkboxes.

<gcds-checkboxes legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

name

The name attribute identifies the checkboxes component within a form. It is used to reference the component after a form is submitted.

<gcds-checkboxes legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

options

The options attribute defines the checkboxes to render by taking an array of objects, one per checkbox.

<gcds-checkboxes legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

autofocus

The autofocus attribute controls whether the first checkbox will be focused automatically when the page loads. By default, it is set to false. When set to true, the checkbox is focused on render.

<gcds-checkboxes autofocus legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

disabled

The disabled attribute controls whether the checkboxes are disabled or not. By default, it is set to false.

<gcds-checkboxes disabled legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

error-message

The error-message attribute defines the error message to display for invalid checkboxes.

<gcds-checkboxes error-message="Error message" legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

form

The form attribute specifies the ID of the form that the checkboxes belong to.

<gcds-checkboxes form="form-id" legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

hide-label

The hide-label attribute controls whether the label is hidden or not.

<gcds-checkboxes hide-label name="checkbox" options='[{ "label": "Label for checkbox 1", "id": "checkbox1", "value": "checkbox1"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

hide-legend

The hide-legend attribute controls whether the legend is hidden or not.

<gcds-checkboxes hide-legend legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

hint

The hint attribute defines the hint text displayed under the label or legend.

<gcds-checkboxes hint="Hint / Example message." legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

required

The required attribute controls whether the checkbox fieldset is required or not. When set to true, it adds “required” after the label or legend, and activates the required validator.

<gcds-checkboxes required legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

validate-on

The validate-on attribute defines the validation event for the checkboxes.

<gcds-checkboxes validate-on="other" required legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

value

The value attribute contains an array of the values of all currently checked checkboxes. It updates as selections change.

<gcds-checkboxes value='["check2"]' legend="Legend" name="checkexample" options='[{"id": "form-check-1", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check1"}, {"id": "form-check-2", "label": "Label", "hint": "Description or example to make the option clearer.", "value": "check2"}]'>
</gcds-checkboxes>

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