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Unconditional Control Statements

2.9.3.1 break Statement

✔ break is a keyword.

✔ It can be used within switch or any looping statements.

✔ It is used to terminate the execution of the current loop/switch statement.

✔ break can be used in two ways:

break;
break <label>;

Lab217.java​

class Lab217 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);

      if (i == 5) break;

      System.out.println("***INSIDE LOOP");
    }
    System.out.println("OUTSIDE LOOP");
  }
}

✔ Output:​

1
***INSIDE LOOP
2
***INSIDE LOOP
3
***INSIDE LOOP
4
***INSIDE LOOP
5
OUTSIDE LOOP

Lab218.java​

class Lab218 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    int a = 10;

    if (a == 10) break;
  }
}

Result:​

  • Compilation Error
  • break cannot be used outside loop or switch

Lab219.java​

class Lab219 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);
      break;
      System.out.println("***INSIDE LOOP");
    }
  }
}

Result:​

  • Compilation Error
  • Unreachable statement after break

Lab220.java​

class Lab220 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
      System.out.println("\n" + i);

      for (int j = 1; j <= 5; j++, System.out.print(" " + j)) {
        if (i == 3) break;

        System.out.print(" JavaWorld " + j);
      }
    }
  }
}

✔ Output (conceptual):​

  • For i = 3, inner loop breaks immediately
  • Other values execute normally

Lab221.java​

class Lab221 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
      for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
        if (i == 3) break;

        System.out.println(i + "\t" + j);
      }
    }
  }
}

✔ Behavior:​

  • When i = 3, only inner loop breaks
  • Outer loop continues

Lab222.java​

class Lab222 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    JavaWorld: for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
      for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
        if (i == 3) breakJavaWorld;

        System.out.println(i + "\t" + j);
      }
    }
  }
}

✔ Behavior:​

  • When i = 3, entire outer loop stops
  • Because of labeled break

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔ break Usage​

  • Stops current loop or switch
  • Cannot be used standalone outside loops/switch

✔ Unreachable Code​

break;
System.out.println("Hello");//  error

✔ Normal vs Labeled break​

TypeBehavior
break;exits current loop only
break label;exits outer loop with label

✔ Interview Tip ⚠️​

  • break inside nested loops → only inner loop stops
  • Use labeled break to exit multiple loops

Lab223.java​

class Lab223 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    sd: for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);
    }

    for (int i = 10; i < 15; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);
      breaksd;
    }
  }
}

Result:​

  • Compilation Error
  • Label sd is not associated with this loop
  • Cannot use break sd; outside its labeled block

Lab224.java​

class Lab224 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    int ab = 10;

    JavaWorld: {
      System.out.println("JavaWorld BLOCK STARTS");

      sd: {
        System.out.println("SD BLOCK STARTS");

        if (ab == 10) breakJavaWorld;

        System.out.println("SD Block ENDS");
      }

      System.out.println("JavaWorld BLOCK ENDS");
    }

    System.out.println("Completed");
  }
}

✔ Output:​

JavaWorld BLOCK STARTS
SD BLOCK STARTS
Completed

Lab225.java​

class Lab225 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    int ab = 10;

    JavaWorld: {
      System.out.println("JavaWorld BLOCK STARTS");

      sd: {
        System.out.println("SD BLOCK STARTS");

        if (ab == 10) breaksd;

        System.out.println("SD Block ENDS");
      }

      System.out.println("JavaWorld BLOCK ENDS");
    }

    System.out.println("Completed");
  }
}

✔ Output:​

JavaWorld BLOCK STARTS
SD BLOCK STARTS
JavaWorld BLOCK ENDS
Completed

2.9.3.2 continue Statement

✔ continue is a keyword.

✔ It can be used within any looping statements.

✔ It is used to skip the current iteration and continue with the next iteration.

✔ continue can be used in two ways:

continue;
continue <label>;

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔ Labeled break (Important)​

  • Can break:
    • loops
    • blocks (not just loops)

✔ Invalid Case​

breaklabel;

If label is not in scope → compile error

✔ break vs continue​

StatementBehavior
breakexits loop completely
continueskips current iteration

✔ Interview Insight ⚠️​

  • Labeled break can even exit non-loop blocks
  • This is a frequently asked tricky concept

Lab226.java​

class Lab226 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);

      if (i == 5) continue;

      System.out.println("***AFTER");
    }
  }
}

✔ Output:​

0
***AFTER
1
***AFTER
2
***AFTER
3
***AFTER
4
***AFTER
5
6
***AFTER
7
***AFTER
8
***AFTER
9
***AFTER

Lab227.java​

class Lab227 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    int a = 10;

    if (a == 10) continue;
  }
}

Result:​

  • Compilation Error
  • continue can be used only inside loops

Lab228.java​

class Lab228 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);
      continue;
      System.out.println("***AFTER");
    }
  }
}

Result:​

  • Compilation Error
  • Unreachable statement after continue

Lab229.java​

class Lab229 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
      System.out.println("\n" + i);

      for (int j = 1; j <= 5; j++, System.out.print(" " + j)) {
        if (j == 3) continue;

        System.out.print(" JavaWorld " + j);
      }
    }
  }
}

✔ Behavior:​

  • When j == 3, continue skips "JavaWorld 3"
  • Loop continues with next iteration

Lab230.java​

class Lab230 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
      for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
        if (i == 3) continue;

        System.out.println(i + "\t" + j);
      }
    }
  }
}

✔ Behavior:​

  • When i == 3, inner loop iterations are skipped
  • Outer loop continues normally

Lab231.java​

class Lab231 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    JavaWorld: for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
      for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
        if (i == 3) continueJavaWorld;

        System.out.println(i + "\t" + j);
      }
    }
  }
}

✔ Behavior:​

  • When i == 3, control jumps to next iteration of outer loop
  • Entire inner loop is skipped for that iteration

Lab232.java​

class Lab232 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    sd: for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);
    }

    for (int i = 10; i < 15; i++) {
      System.out.println(i);
      continuesd;
    }
  }
}

Result:​

  • Compilation Error
  • continue must refer to a valid loop label

Lab233.java​

class Lab233 {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    int i = 0;

    while (i < 10) {
      System.out.println(i);

      if (i == 3) continue;

      i++;
      System.out.println("***AFTER");
    }
  }
}

⚠ Behavior:​

  • When i == 3, continue skips i++
  • Causes infinite loop (i stays 3 forever)

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔ continue Rules​

  • Skips current iteration, moves to next
  • Works only inside loops

✔ Unreachable Code​

continue;
System.out.println("Hello");//  error

✔ Labeled continue​

  • Jumps to next iteration of labeled loop

✔ Common Bug ⚠️​

if(i==3)continue;
i++;

➡ May cause infinite loop