Difference Between break and continue in Java

Introduction to break and continue in Java

In Java programming, controlling the flow of loops is crucial for writing efficient code. Two important statements used for this purpose are break and continue. Although both affect loop execution, they serve distinct roles in managing how loops behave.

What is the break Statement?

The break statement in Java is used to immediately exit the entire loop or switch block. Once break is executed, the control jumps out of the loop, skipping any remaining iterations.

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
    if (i == 3) {
        break;  // loop exits when i equals 3
    }
    System.out.println("i: " + i);
}

Output:

i: 1
i: 2

What is the continue Statement?

The continue statement is used to skip the current iteration of a loop and jump directly to the next iteration, without exiting the loop entirely.

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
    if (i == 3) {
        continue;  // skips the iteration when i equals 3
    }
    System.out.println("i: " + i);
}

Output:

i: 1
i: 2
i: 4
i: 5

Key Differences Between break and continue

Practical Example: Combining break and continue

Here’s a loop that prints numbers from 1 to 10 but skips multiples of 3 and stops entirely if the number reaches 8:

for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
    if (i == 8) {
        break;  // exit loop completely when i is 8
    }
    if (i % 3 == 0) {
        continue;  // skip multiples of 3
    }
    System.out.println("Number: " + i);
}

Output:

Number: 1
Number: 2
Number: 4
Number: 5
Number: 7

Conclusion

Both break and continue statements are essential for managing loops in Java, but they serve different purposes. break immediately ends the loop, while continue skips only the current iteration and moves on. Understanding their differences helps you write cleaner and more efficient loop logic.