# CheckboxGroup

> Grouped checkboxes with optional master checkbox.

- Status: stable
- Group: form
- Page: https://www.digitaltableteur.com/design-system/components/checkbox-group
- Contract: https://www.digitaltableteur.com/contracts/v1/CheckboxGroup.contract.json

## When to use

CheckboxGroup renders a set of related checkboxes under one fieldset legend, with an optional master select-all checkbox that shows the indeterminate state while the set is mixed. It reports the full selected-value array on every change.

## When not to use

- Do not render a CheckboxGroup with one option. It's an awkward master + one row; collapse to a single Checkbox.
- Do not nest a CheckboxGroup inside another CheckboxGroup. AT navigation becomes ambiguous; flatten the option list.
- Do not rely on the master label translation key without testing the i18n fallback. The component falls back to the literal "All" if the key isn't resolved; tests must verify the resolved label they expect.
- Do not use it for exclusive choices; that is RadioGroup.

## Look-alikes

- Button: Do not use Button for an on/off state; use Switch. For multi-select within a group, use Checkbox or CheckboxGroup.
- RadioGroup: Do not use it for exclusive choices; that is RadioGroup.
- SelectableCard: For bare text options without supporting content, use RadioGroup or CheckboxGroup.
- SelectableCardGroup: Do not use rich cards when plain RadioGroup or CheckboxGroup labels communicate the choices clearly.

## Props

| Prop | Type | Default | Description | Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | `string` | none | Base id for the checkbox inputs. Without one, the group generates a unique base id, so two groups on a page never share checkbox ids. | No |
| `label` | `string` | none | Legend text for the group. | Yes |
| `className` | `string` | none | Additional CSS classes on the group. | No |
| `options` | `{ label: string; value: string }[]` | `[]` | Checkbox options (label, value) | Yes |
| `showMasterCheckbox` | `boolean` | `true` | Shows the select-all master checkbox. Defaults to true. | No |
| `masterLabel` | `string` | none | Label for the select-all master checkbox. | No |
| `hideLegend` | `boolean` | `false` | Keeps the legend as the accessible name but hides it visually, for a group whose section heading already names it. | No |
| `defaultSelected` | `string[]` | none | Initially selected option values (uncontrolled) | No |
| `onChange` | `(selectedOptions: string[]) => void` | none | No description in the contract. | No |

## Variants

No variant dimensions and no props with a fixed set of values.

## Invalid combinations

The contract records no invalid combinations.

## Keyboard

| Key | Behaviour |
| --- | --- |
| Space | Activates or toggles the focused control. (standard) |
| Tab | Moves focus to the control and on to the next focusable element. (standard) |

Rows marked (standard) name a key the contract lists without a description; the behaviour shown is the usual one for that key.

## Rules

Every item under When not to use is a MUST NOT. MUST and SHOULD follow RFC 2119.

| Level | Rule | How it is checked |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MUST | ARIA: Fieldset legend. | Not yet verified: no evidence record. WCAG 4.1.2. |
| MUST | ARIA: Group checkbox associations. | Not yet verified: no evidence record. WCAG 4.1.2. |
| MUST | Required stories produce no axe violations at the configured severity. | Automated by `npm run test:stories:matrix:ci`. WCAG 2.5.8. |
| MUST | The accessibility tree (role, name, state) matches the committed snapshot for every required story. | Automated by `npm run test:stories:matrix:ci`. WCAG 1.3.1, 4.1.2. |
| MUST | The component remains legible and operable under a real browser forced-colors: active pass. | Automated by `npm run test:stories:hc`. |
| MUST | Every documented keyboard interaction works as specified. | Not yet verified: no evidence record. WCAG 2.1.1, 2.1.2. |
| MUST | A human completed an end-to-end accessibility review of this component. | Manual review, last on 2026-11-04. |
| SHOULD | Use it when several checkboxes answer one question; the label becomes the fieldset legend every control announces. | Not stated in the contract. |
| SHOULD | ShowMasterCheckbox is on by default; pass false for short sets where select-all is not a plausible intent. | Not stated in the contract. |
| SHOULD | Keep option labels parallel in wording so the set scans as one family. | Not stated in the contract. |
| SHOULD | Seed defaultSelected with the common case instead of forcing users to re-pick standard options. | Not stated in the contract. |
| SHOULD NOT | Do not mix unrelated decisions into one group; the legend must truthfully name every option. | Not stated in the contract. |

## Install and import

- Install: `npm install @digitaltableteur/react` (version 0.9.1, restricted access on npm).
- Import: `import { CheckboxGroup } from "@digitaltableteur/react";`
- Entry point: `@digitaltableteur/react/forms` exports it too.
- Styles: import `@digitaltableteur/react/style.css` once at the app boundary.
- Also available as the custom element `<dt-checkbox-group>`; see the custom elements manifest.

## Links

- Machine-readable contract (Design System Contract 1.0): https://www.digitaltableteur.com/contracts/v1/CheckboxGroup.contract.json
- Markdown version of this page: https://www.digitaltableteur.com/design-system/components/checkbox-group.md
- Component index as JSON: https://www.digitaltableteur.com/design-system/components.json
- All components: https://www.digitaltableteur.com/design-system/components
- Source: The implementation lives in a private repository. This page, its Markdown twin and the contract are generated from it at build time and are the public source of truth.