Break Statement

C++ break Statement

In C++, the break statement is used to terminate the execution of a loop or switch statement prematurely. When the break statement is encountered inside a loop or switch, the control is transferred immediately to the statement following the loop or switch.

Example using break within a for loop:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; ++i) {
        if (i == 5) {
            std::cout << "Breaking out of the loop at i = " << i << std::endl;
            break;
        }
        std::cout << i << " ";
    }

    return 0;
}

Output:

1 2 3 4 Breaking out of the loop at i = 5

In this example, the loop is designed to print numbers from 1 to 10. However, when i becomes 5, the break statement is encountered, and the loop is immediately terminated.

Example using break within a switch statement:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    int choice;

    std::cout << "Enter a choice (1-3): ";
    std::cin >> choice;

    switch (choice) {
        case 1:
            std::cout << "You selected option 1." << std::endl;
            break;
        case 2:
            std::cout << "You selected option 2." << std::endl;
            break;
        case 3:
            std::cout << "You selected option 3." << std::endl;
            break;
        default:
            std::cout << "Invalid choice." << std::endl;
            break;
    }

    return 0;
}

In this example, if the user enters a choice outside the range 1-3, the default case is executed, and the break statement ensures that the switch statement is exited.

The break statement is a crucial tool for controlling the flow of loops and switch statements, allowing you to exit the loop or switch under specific conditions.