Break and Continue

1. Introduction

break and continue are jump statements in Java used to change the normal flow of loops and switch statements.

• break → immediately terminates the loop (or switch)
• continue → skips the current iteration and moves to the next one

They are powerful tools for controlling program flow, especially in complex loops, searching algorithms, and conditional iterations.

2. The break Statement

Purpose:

• Stops the loop immediately
• Control jumps to the first statement after the loop

Syntax:

break;

Example 1: Stop Loop When Condition Met

for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
    if (i == 5) {
        break;
    }
    System.out.println(i);
}

Output:

1
2
3
4

Explanation: Loop stops when i becomes 5.

Example 2: break in a while Loop

int i = 1;
while (i <= 10) {
    if (i == 7) break;
    System.out.println(i);
    i++;
}

Example 3: break in switch

switch (day) {
    case 1: System.out.println("Monday"); break;
    case 2: System.out.println("Tuesday"); break;
    default: System.out.println("Invalid");
}

Without break, execution would fall through to the next case.

3. The continue Statement

Purpose:

• Skips the remaining code in the loop body
• Moves to the next iteration immediately

Syntax:

continue;

Example 1: Skip Even Numbers

for (int i = 1; i <= 6; i++) {
    if (i % 2 == 0) continue;
    System.out.println(i);
}

Output:

1
3
5

Explanation: When i is even, continue skips printing.

Example 2: continue in while

int i = 0;

while (i < 5) {
    i++;
    if (i == 3) continue;
    System.out.println(i);
}

4. Difference Between Break and Continue

Image prompt

A diagram showing two loops side-by-side: One loop showing break jumping out of the entire loop, Another showing continue skipping one iteration and looping back to the next.

5. Labeled Break and Continue (Advanced)

Useful for nested loops. A label allows break or continue to target a specific loop.

5.1 Labeled Break

outer:
for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
    for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
        if (j == 2) break outer;
        System.out.println(i + " " + j);
    }
}

Stops both loops when j == 2.

5.2 Labeled Continue

outer:
for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
    for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
        if (j == 2) continue outer;
        System.out.println(i + " " + j);
    }
}

Skips inner loop and continues the next iteration of outer loop.

6. Real-World Use Cases

✔ Searching Algorithms

for (int n : arr) {
    if (n == target) {
        found = true;
        break;
    }
}

✔ Skipping Invalid Input

for (String s : data) {
    if (s.isEmpty()) continue;
    process(s);
}

✔ Exiting Loops Based on Conditions

while (true) {
    if (exitRequested()) break;
}

7. Common Mistakes

• Using continue when break is needed (or vice versa)
• Forgetting that continue in while may cause infinite loops if increment is skipped
• Overusing labeled break/continue (reduces readability)
• Confusing break in switch vs loop

8. Summary

• break ends the loop immediately.
• continue skips the rest of the loop body and moves to the next iteration.
• Both help control flow efficiently in complex conditions.
• Labeled versions allow control in nested loops.
• Use them carefully for clarity and maintainability.

Written By: Shiva Srivastava