Jump statements in C++: break statement

Jump Statements in C++: An Overview

Types of Jump Statements C++

1. break
2. continue
3. goto
4. return

In the below section, we will discuss the first kind of jump statement i.e. the break statement in C++. The other jump statements will be discussed subsequently in the next sections.

Break Statement in C++

• It is one of the most used jump statements.
• In C++, break is used to prematurely exit from a loop or switch statement, before the block has been fully executed.
• As soon as a break statement is encountered inside a loop, the loop terminates immediately, and control is transferred to the next statement outside the loop.

Syntax

//loop or switch case 
break;

Example

#include <iostream>
using namespace std; 
int main()
{ 
 for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) 
 { 
 if (i == 5) 
 { 
 break; 
 } 
 cout << i << endl; 
 }
return 0;
}

• The above C++ code in C++ Compiler iterates from 1 to 10 using a for loop. It determines whether the value of i inside the loop equals 5.
• It outputs numbers from 1 to 4 (inclusive) as a result
• When i=5, the break statement is executed, which abruptly ends the loop.

Output

1
2
3
4

Read More - Advanced C++ Interview Interview Questions and Answers

Where to use break statements in C++?

1. break statement in switch case
2. break statement in a loop

1. break statement in switch case in C++

You have already executed this while learning the switch case in C++.

Syntax

switch (expression) {
 case 1:
 // code to be executed if expression is equal to 1
 break;
 case 2:
 // code to be executed if expression is equal to 2
 break;
 case 3:
 // code to be executed if expression is equal to 3
 break;
 default:
 // code to be executed if expression doesn't match any case
 break;
}

2. break statement in a loop in C++

• Break statement in a for loop

This example that you have already executed above is an example of a break statement in a for loop.

Example of break statement in a for loop

#include <iostream>
using namespace std; 
int main()
{ 
 for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) 
 { 
 if (i == 5) 
 { 
 break; 
 } 
 cout << i << endl; 
 }
return 0;
}

• The above C++ code in C++ Editor iterates from 1 to 10 using a for loop. It determines whether the value of i inside the loop equals 5.
• It outputs numbers from 1 to 4 (inclusive) as a result.
• When i=5, the break statement is executed, which abruptly ends the loop.

Output

1
2
3
4

• Break statement in a while loop

Example of break statement in a while loop

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
 int i = 0;
 while (true) {
 cout << i << endl;
 i++;
 if (i == 5)
 break;
 }
 cout << "The loop terminates" << std::endl;
 return 0;
}

Here the loop would have become an infinite one had the break statement not been there. When i becomes 5, the control comes out of the otherwise infinite whileloop.

Output

0
1
2
3
4
The loop terminates

• Break statement in a do...while loop

Example of break statement in a do...while loop

#include <iostream>

int main() {
 int n = 1, i, choice;
 do {
 i = 1;
 while (i <= 10) {
 std::cout << n << " X " << i << " = " << n * i << std::endl;
 i++;
 }
 std::cout << "Do you want to further print the table of " << n + 1 << ", enter any non-zero value to continue: ";
 std::cin >> choice;
 if (choice == 0) {
 break;
 }
 n++;
 } while (true);
 return 0;
}

Output

1 X 1 = 1
1 X 2 = 2
1 X 3 = 3
1 X 4 = 4
1 X 5 = 5
1 X 6 = 6
1 X 7 = 7
1 X 8 = 8
1 X 9 = 9
1 X 10 = 10
Do you want to further print the table of 2, enter any non-zero value to continue: 1

2 X 1 = 2
2 X 2 = 4
2 X 3 = 6
2 X 4 = 8
2 X 5 = 10
2 X 6 = 12
2 X 7 = 14
2 X 8 = 16
2 X 9 = 18
2 X 10 = 20
Do you want to further print the table of 3, enter any non-zero value to continue: 0

• break statement in a nested loop

Example of break statement in a nested loop

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
 int number;
 int sum = 0;

 // first loop
 for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
 // second loop
 for (int j = 1; j <= 5; j++) {
 if (i == 2) {
 break;
 }
 cout << "i = " << i << ", j = " << j << endl;
 }
 }
 return 0;
}

In the above code in C++ Online Compiler, when i becomes 2, the inner forloop terminates and does not print the output at i=2. The outer for loop iterates 5 times while the inner one skips the iteration at i=2 and continues the remaining iterations.

Output

i = 1, j = 1
i = 1, j = 2
i = 1, j = 3
i = 1, j = 4
i = 1, j = 5
i = 3, j = 1
i = 3, j = 2
i = 3, j = 3
i = 3, j = 4
i = 3, j = 5
i = 4, j = 1
i = 4, j = 2
i = 4, j = 3
i = 4, j = 4
i = 4, j = 5
i = 5, j = 1
i = 5, j = 2
i = 5, j = 3
i = 5, j = 4
i = 5, j = 5

Summary