In Swing, the JCheckBox allows the user to select, or un-select, an item which is displayed. Any number of boxes can be selected at one time. Each box displayed is one JCheckBox. A checkmark will be used to choose a box.

JCheckBox often uses the methods isSelected and setSelected.
To select, or un-select, a box, use the setSelected(boolean) method.
To check if a box is selected, use the isSelected() method.

The JCheckBox and the JRadioButton are subclasses of JToggleButton.
A toggle button is a two-state button which operates like a light switch, on or off.

Note: While a JCheckBox allows for the user to make multiple choices at one time, the JRadioButton allows the user only one choice at a time.

These first code example below is only "displaying" the JCheckBox options shown above.
No event coding is generated in this example.

Note: In this example, one of the checkboxes is "pre-checked". Such a choice is at the
discretion of the programmer, and is most likely NOT a desired option in most cases.
It is used here for coding demonstration only.

Display CheckBoxes Only:

Activate CheckBox:

When creating interactive components, the interface ActionListener will be needed so that the event created by the check (in this example) can be activated. Remember that import java.awt.event.*; will be needed.
(Note: When creating interactive checkboxes, the interface ItemListener may also be used.)

Steps to Establishing an Active CheckBox:
1. Indicate the class "implements ActionListener"
2. Declare (name) a checkbox variable
3. Create a "new" checkbox and give it a label
4. Attach "action" to the checkbox ("addActionListener(this)")
5. Add checkbox to the Jpanel
6. Establish action to be taken method ("actionPerformed")

Remember that when a JCheckBox is checked, an event will be generated and something will happen.

Example: A message is displayed as checkboxes "Soda" and "Fries" are checked and unchecked. Four possible choices can appear: "Soda: chosen"; "Soda: not chosen"; "Fries: chosen"; "Fries: not chosen".