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break and continue

Learn to exit a loop with break and skip with continue.

break and continue

Two keywords control the loop flow: break exits the loop completely, continue skips the current iteration and moves to the next. Both are usually used with an if condition.

For example for (var i = 1; i <= 5; i++) { if (i == 3) continue; print(i); } prints 1, 2, 4, 5; when i == 3 continue skips that iteration. break ends the loop entirely.

When to use them?

break is used to end a loop early when a condition is met. For example when searching a list, once the target is found break exits the loop; the remaining elements are not walked in vain.

continue is used to skip elements that meet a certain condition. For example to skip even numbers and process only odd ones you write if (x % 2 == 0) continue;. Practical tip: break means 'stop', continue means 'skip'.

Practice Break at 5

Build a for (var i = 1; i <= 10; i++) loop. In the body first exit at 5 with if (i == 5) { break; }. Then print the number with print(i);. The output must be 4 lines: 1, 2, 3, 4 (one number per line).

Starter code

main.dart
// Count 1 to 10 with for, break at 5, print each

Sample solution

main.dart
for (var i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
  if (i == 5) {
    break;
  }
  print(i);
}

Expected output

1
2
3
4

Questions and answers

Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.

1 Match the keyword to its job

Term Meaning
break Exits the loop
continue Skips the iteration
while Condition loop
for Counted loop

2 What is the output of this loop?

main.dart
for (var i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
  if (i == 2) continue;
  print(i);
}
  • 1 and 3 Correct answer
  • 1, 2, 3
  • Only 2
  • Prints nothing

Explanation: At i=2 continue skips that iteration; 1 and 3 are printed.

3 Write the break keyword

Question 
for (var i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
  if (i == 5) {
    ____;
  }
  print(i);
}
Answer 
for (var i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
  if (i == 5) {
    break;
  }
  print(i);
}

Explanation: break exits the loop completely.

All lessons in Beginner

1 Dart basics

  1. What is Dart?
  2. Your first program
  3. dart run
  4. Comments
  5. String interpolation
  6. Summary - Dart basics

2 Variables

  1. var and type
  2. final
  3. const
  4. late
  5. Null safety
  6. Summary - Variables

3 Data types

  1. Integer types
  2. Floating-point types
  3. bool and String
  4. Type inference
  5. dynamic
  6. Summary - Data types

4 Project: Calculator

  1. Project design
  2. Add and subtract
  3. Multiply and divide
  4. Error handling
  5. Putting it together

5 Operators

  1. Arithmetic operators
  2. Assignment operators
  3. Comparison operators
  4. Logical operators
  5. Null-aware operators
  6. Summary - Operators

6 Strings

  1. Creating strings
  2. String interpolation
  3. length and methods
  4. substring
  5. contains and indexOf
  6. Summary - Strings

7 Conditionals

  1. The if statement
  2. else and else if
  3. switch
  4. Pattern matching
  5. Ternary
  6. Summary - Conditionals

8 Loops

  1. The for loop
  2. The while loop
  3. The do-while loop
  4. for-in
  5. break and continue
  6. Summary - Loops

9 Project: Shopping cart

  1. Cart design
  2. Adding items
  3. Calculating totals
  4. Listing the cart
  5. Putting it together

10 Lists

  1. Creating lists
  2. List access
  3. add and remove
  4. length and contains
  5. List methods
  6. Summary - Lists

11 Sets and Maps

  1. Set
  2. Set operations
  3. Map
  4. Map operations
  5. Map iteration
  6. Summary - Sets and Maps

12 Functions

  1. Defining functions
  2. Return values
  3. Arrow functions
  4. Optional parameters
  5. First-class functions
  6. Summary - Functions

13 Null safety in depth

  1. Nullable types
  2. Null-aware operators
  3. The ! operator
  4. late
  5. Null check
  6. Summary - Null safety

14 Class basics

  1. class
  2. Constructor
  3. Instance variables
  4. Methods
  5. this
  6. Summary - Class basics

15 Project: To-do CLI

  1. Task model
  2. Adding tasks
  3. Listing tasks
  4. Completing tasks
  5. Putting it together

16 Advanced string operations

  1. split and join
  2. replace
  3. trim and pad
  4. RegExp
  5. StringBuffer
  6. Summary - Advanced strings

17 Enums

  1. Defining enums
  2. Enum values
  3. Enhanced enums
  4. switch with enum
  5. Enum and patterns
  6. Summary - Enums

18 Exceptions

  1. try/catch
  2. throw
  3. finally
  4. The Exception class
  5. on clause
  6. Summary - Exceptions

19 Async basics

  1. Future
  2. async/await
  3. then
  4. Future.error
  5. Future.wait
  6. Summary - Async basics

20 Beginner final

  1. Project design
  2. Classes
  3. Collections
  4. Error handling
  5. Putting it together