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'.

Exercise 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).

Show example solution

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

Test yourself

Match the keyword to its job

break

Exits the loop
continue

Skips the iteration
while

Condition loop
for

Counted loop
What is the output of this loop?
```
for (var i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
  if (i == 2) continue;
  print(i);
}
```
- 1 and 3
- 1, 2, 3
- Only 2
- Prints nothing
Show answer

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

Write the break keyword

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

Show answer

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

Next lesson: Summary - Loops

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