---
path: components/combobox/usage
title: Usage
position: 2
seo_title: Guidelines for Using the ComboBox Component
seo_description: Learn the basic principles and usage guidelines needed for the
  successful implementation of the Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox, for example,
  the number of listed options, option length, and component label.
---
## Usage Guidelines

The Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox requires you to follow some basic principles when using the component.

### Number of Options

The text input feature of the ComboBox allows users to enter a custom value that serves as a filter and helps them select an option from a long list. If you need to provide fewer options to the user, consider using a picker or radio buttons.

<DosDonts>
<Do description="Use the ComboBox when your list of options is complex enough to take advantage of the search, filter, and custom value input functionalities.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox showing a long list of favorite sport options for user selection.](images/components-combobox-usage-numer-of-options-do.png "Use the Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox with complex lists of options.")</Do>
<Dont description="Avoid using the ComboBox if the list contains only a few options.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox showing a short list of size options for user selection.](images/components-combobox-usage-numer-of-options-dont.png "Do not use the Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox with only a few options.")</Dont>
</DosDonts>


### Item Content

Consider the width of the ComboBox and keep the names of the options short and compact so that they fit. Long item names that occupy multiple lines are hard to perceive and must be avoided.

<DosDonts>
<Do description="Keep the options as short as possible to improve readability.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox containing single-row options whose length elegantly fits the width of the component.](images/components-combobox-usage-compact-options-name-do.png "Display short, concise, and succinct descriptions for the items within the Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox to fit the width of the component on a single row.")</Do>
<Dont description="Avoid using lengthy option descriptions because the text can get truncated and users will find it difficult to read.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox rendering long and wordy option descriptions spanning more than a single row.](images/components-combobox-usage-compact-options-name-dont.png "Do not use circumstantial and excessively long descriptions of the Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox options.")</Dont>
</DosDonts>


### Label

The label of the ComboBox provides a clear and concise description of the component's purpose, making it easier for users to interact with the interface and understand it. Always display a label unless the ComboBox is next to another component that has a label. The label of the ComboBox can be set as part of the Telerik and Kendo UI Form component.

<DosDonts>
<Do description="Use clear and concise labels that accurately describe the purpose or function of the ComboBox.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox with a clear and short label introducing a list of favorite sports.](images/components-combobox-usage-display-a-label-do.png "A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox with a label")</Do>
<Dont description="Avoid using the ComboBox without a label as this compromises the intuitiveness of the component, leading to confusion and frustration.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox without a label supposedly introducing a list of sports.](images/components-combobox-usage-display-a-label-dont.png "Do not use a Telerik and Kendo UI ComboBox with no label to avoid user frustration.")</Dont>
</DosDonts>