Java - break Statement

Java break Statement

The break statement in Java programming language has following two usages −

• When the break statement is encountered inside a loop, the loop is immediately terminated and the program control resumes at the next statement following the loop.

• It can be used to terminate a case in the switch statement (covered in the next chapter).

Syntax

The syntax of a break is a single statement inside any loop or switch case −

break;

Flow Diagram

Examples

Example 1: Using break with while loop

In this example, we're showing the use of a break statement to break a while loop to print numbers starting from 10 to 14 which will otherwise print element till 19. Here we've initialized an int variable x with a value of 10. Then in while loop, we're checking x as less than 20 and within while loop, we're printing the value of x and incrementing the value of x by 1. While loop will run until x becomes 15. Once x is 15, break statement will break the while loop and program exits.

public class Test {

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

      while( x < 20 ) {
         if(x == 15){
            break;		 
         }	     
         System.out.print("value of x : " + x );
         x++;
         System.out.print("\n");
      }
   }
}

Output

value of x : 10
value of x : 11
value of x : 12
value of x : 13
value of x : 14

Example 2: Using break with for loop

In this example, we're showing the use of a break statement within a for loop to print few elements of an array instead of all elements. Here we're creating an array of integers as numbers and initialized it some values. We've created a variable named index to represent index of the array within for loop, check it against size of the array and incremented it by 1. Within for loop body, we're printing element of the array using index notation. Once 30 is encountered as value, break statement breaks the flow of for loop and program quits.

public class Test {

   public static void main(String args[]) {
      int [] numbers = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};

      for(int index = 0; index < numbers.length; index++) {
         if(numbers[index] == 30){
            break;
         }
         System.out.print("value of item : " + numbers[index] );         
         System.out.print("\n");
      }
   }
}

Output

value of item : 10
value of item : 20

Example 3: Using break with an infinite loop

In this example, we're showing the use of break statement to break an infinite loop using while loop. It will keep printing the numbers until the value of x becomes 15.

public class Test {

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

      while( true ) {
         System.out.print("value of x : " + x );
         x++;
         if(x == 15) {
            break;
         }
         System.out.print("\n");
      }
   }
}

Output

value of item : 10
value of item : 11
value of item : 12
value of item : 13
value of item : 14