Break vs Continue vs Pass

Introduction

In Python, loops (for and while) generally execute a block of code repeatedly until a certain condition is false.
However, sometimes we need more control over the flow of execution, for example:

• To exit a loop early
• To skip an iteration
• Or to write placeholder code that will be implemented later.

Python provides three special statements for these situations:

1. break
2. continue
3. pass

break Statement

The break statement is used to terminate the loop immediately, regardless of how many iterations remain.

Syntax:

for variable in sequence:
    if condition:
        break
    # code block

Example

for i in range(5):
    if i == 3:
        break
    print("Hello", i)

Output

Hello 0
Hello 1
Hello 2

Explanation

• When i == 3, the continue statement is executed.
• The loop skips the print() statement for i = 3 and jumps to the next iteration.
• The loop then continues normally for i = 4.

Use Case

• Stop processing when a required value is found.
• Exit when a resource becomes unavailable.
• Terminate loops on certain error conditions.

continue Statement

The continue statement skips the current iteration of the loop and moves to the next iteration, without executing the remaining statements inside the loop for that iteration.

Syntax:

for i in range(5):
    if i == 3:
        continue
    print("Hello", i)

Example

for i in range(5):
    if i == 3:
        continue
    print("Hello", i)

Output

Hello 0
Hello 1
Hello 2
Hello 4

Explanation

• When i == 3, the continue statement is executed.
• The loop skips the print() statement for i = 3 and jumps to the next iteration.
• The loop then continues normally for i = 4.

Use Case

• Skip unwanted values (e.g., negative numbers, divisible numbers).
• Filter data inside loops.
• Avoid executing certain code for specific iterations.

pass Statement

The pass statement acts as a null operation, it does nothing when executed.
It’s used as a placeholder for future code, allowing you to define empty functions, classes, or loops without causing syntax errors.

Syntax:

def func():
    pass

Why we need pass

Python does not allow empty:

• functions
• classes
• loops
• conditional blocks

A function body cannot be empty in Python, it will raise an IndentationError. The pass statement allows defining a syntactically valid structure even when the logic is not yet implemented.

Example

for i in range(1, 6):
    if i == 3:
        pass
    else:
        print(i)

Output:

1
2
4
5

Explanation

• When i == 3, the pass statement is executed.
• pass does nothing, so the loop simply moves ahead without any action for that iteration.
• For all other values of i, the print() statement runs normally.

Use Case

• Placeholder when designing program structure.
• Temporary empty blocks during development.
• Skip an iteration intentionally (without any action).

Comparison

Example: Using All Three Together

for i in range(6):
    if i == 2:
        continue    # skip iteration for i = 2
    elif i == 4:
        break       # stop loop at i = 4
    else:
        print("Processing:", i)
else:
    pass            # placeholder for when loop ends normally

Output

Processing: 0
Processing: 1
Processing: 3

Summary

• break → Immediately terminates the entire loop, stopping all remaining iterations and transferring control to the first statement after the loop.
• continue → Skips the rest of the current iteration and jumps directly to the next cycle of the loop.
• pass → Acts as a do-nothing placeholder that allows you to define empty loops, functions, classes, or conditional blocks without causing syntax errors.
• These statements provide fine-grained control over loops and conditional structures.