Hydrocarbon stapling is a chemical approach to restoring and fortifying the natural α-helical structure of peptides that otherwise unfold when taken out of context from the host protein. By iterating the peptide sequence, staple type, and sites of insertion, discrete compositions can be generated to suit a diversity of biochemical, structural, proteomic, cellular, and drug development applications. Here, we reinforce key design considerations to avoid pitfalls and maximize progress when applying stapled peptides in chemistry and biology research.