Yes, they're understood, but in the different way. Org mode opted to treat headlines as TODO items (this choice is important for the purpose of e.g. generating agendas), whereas checkboxes apply to list items.
As for the checkboxes, org mode understands [ ] and [X], and can process them relative to checkboxes in a sublist. For instance, if you write something like this:
- [/] Foo
- [X] Bar
- [ ] Baz
- [%] Foo
- [X] Bar
- [ ] Baz
and then make org-mode reevaluate the list (by e.g. using a shortcut that toggles a checkbox state), it will automagically turn into:
- [1/2] Foo
- [X] Bar
- [ ] Baz
- [50%] Foo
- [X] Bar
- [ ] Baz
(similar / and % feature is available for TODOs in headlines too). Org mode maintains such associations itself, recomputing them as you change state using org-mode commands, and it can also be configured to enforce additional structural constraints - e.g. preventing you from turning a TODO to DONE, if its subtasks are not all in DONE state.
As for the checkboxes, org mode understands [ ] and [X], and can process them relative to checkboxes in a sublist. For instance, if you write something like this:
and then make org-mode reevaluate the list (by e.g. using a shortcut that toggles a checkbox state), it will automagically turn into: (similar / and % feature is available for TODOs in headlines too). Org mode maintains such associations itself, recomputing them as you change state using org-mode commands, and it can also be configured to enforce additional structural constraints - e.g. preventing you from turning a TODO to DONE, if its subtasks are not all in DONE state.