Compare JavaScript DropDownList vs Combobox vs Autocomplete vs MultiSelect

In Essential JS2 is a lightweight, touch friendly, and responsive modern toolkit with no external dependencies. EJ2 components are available in four platforms such as: TypeScript, JavaScript, React, and Angular.

EJ2 has some editor components that can be used for selecting items from a list of items in websites or webapplication. AutoComplete, ComboBox, DropDownList, and MultiSelect are similar components with slight variations in functionalities.

AutoComplete

AutoComplete component is a textbox component that shows suggestion list based on the user's query.

• Use Cases: AutoComplete can be used in websites or webapplication where the user wants the list items to be filtered against the text typed in input area instead of browsing the complete list items for selection. For example, Ticket booking sites with input boxes for choosing origin and destination for a journey, searching available products on shopping sites etc.
• Target Audience: Developers who needs to develop websites with search options in their websites, such as online shopping and for searching some available services on their sites.

ComboBox

ComboBox component is a combination of a list box and DropDownList with editable text box, auto completion, and filtering functionality.

• Use Cases: ComboBox can be used in websites or web applications where users can either search for their options in the input box or browse through the available options. The user can also edit the selected option via the input box. This cannot be used in cases of multiple selection. It can be utilized on sites where the user can edit items in the input box and enter an option that is not present in the predefined list of items.

• Target Audience: Developers who need to develop websites with search options, as well as browse with predefined list items on their sites. The chosen value can be edited in the ComboBox input box.

DropDownList

DropDownList component displays a single column list of items from which the user can make a single selection.

• Use Cases: DropDownList works well with small or large sets of data. DropDownList can be used on websites where users are limited to a list of choices with a non-editable input box. It is advisable to use DropDownList when the list items are few. For example, to choose a certain range of pricing for products with a minimum and maximum value on shopping sites and to select bus types based on requirements on ticket booking sites. This cannot be used in cases of multiple selections.

• Target Audience: Developers who need to develop websites with a component that limits the user’s selection to a set of predefined list items with a non-editable input box.

MultiSelect

The MultiSelect component contains a list of predefined values from which the user can make multiple selections. The functionality of MultiSelect resembles the SELECT form element of HTML. Users can also enter an option that is not in the list. The selected items are shown in three different UI modes (Default, Box, and Delimiter).

• Use Cases: MultiSelect can be used when the user needs to select multiple items from predefined list of items. For example, filtering products based on multiple conditions on shopping sites.
• Target Audience: Developers who need to develop websites with a component which allows the user to select multiple items from a set of predefined list items with different UI modes.

Comparison table with features of these components are listed in the following.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed learning about how to compare JavaScript DropDownList vs Combobox vs Autocomplete vs MultiSelect.

You can refer to our JavaScript DropDownList feature tour page to learn about its other groundbreaking feature representations and documentation, and how to quickly get started for configuration specifications. You can also explore our JavaScript DropDownList example to understand how to create and manipulate data.

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