filtering - Which is better to design a Filter?

Which is better for filter, select a single value:

1. Check box ( Use js to keep single selection )


2. Dropdown list


3. Radio buttons


4. Highlighted labels

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Answer

It depends on what you want to do. :)

• Use checkboxes (or other toggle buttons) if you want to provide for applying several filters at once. If you want to use them for single value, then listen to @AndroidHustle regarding manipulating them, and only use them for single, independent, boolean values.

^{download bmml source – Wireframes created with Balsamiq Mockups}

• Use dropdown, combobox, or autocomplete-box to hide the alternative filters behind a dropdown, typically a great idea if you have an endless list of filters.

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• Use the Radio Buttons or the Segmented Control to clearly print out what options there are, typically sorting on a distinguishable attribute.

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• Finally, the Segmented Control (iOS term) differs from the Radio Button group with the advantages of fitting in one row, and it resembles the use of a Tab Bar more than a filter, if that is what you are after.

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Edit:

Come to think about it, depending on what you want to filter on, the list goes on for each control there is. DatePicker, free text, Multi-value-controls, position sliders.

Without context, platform, content, and so on, there is not one single correct answer to this question. :)