Use Comfortable when
People look at a few items at a time, or are new to the screen and need room to understand each row.
Signs it fits
- Occasional or new users
- Rich rows with images or actions
- Decisions about one item
- Touch input
Use Compact when
People scan and compare many rows, all day. Seeing twice as many at once beats any amount of white space.
Signs it fits
- Data tables, logs, queues
- Daily power users
- Spotting patterns across rows
- Offer it as a setting when audiences mix