Jump Statements in Java

Jumping statements are control statements that transfer execution control from one point to another point in the program. There are two Jump statements that are provided in the Java programming language:

1. Break statement.
2. Continue statement.

Break statement

1. Using Break Statement to exit a loop:

In java, the break statement is used to terminate the execution of the nearest looping statement or switch statement. The break statement is widely used with the switch statement, for loop, while loop, do-while loop. 

Syntax:

break;

When a break statement is found inside a loop, the loop is terminated, and the control reaches the statement that follows the loop. here is an example:

Java

// Java program to illustrate the
// break keyword in Java
import java.io.*;

class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int n = 10;
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
            if (i == 6)
                break;
            System.out.println(i);
        }
    }
}

Output

0
1
2
3
4
5

As you see, the code is meant to print 1 to 10 numbers using for loop, but it prints only 1 to 5 . as soon as i is equal to 6, the control terminates the loop. 

In a switch statement, if the break statement is missing, every case label is executed till the end of the switch.

2. Use Break as a form of goto

Java does not have a goto statement because it produces an unstructured way to alter the flow of program execution. Java illustrates an extended form of the break statement. This form of break works with the label. The label is the name of a label that identifies a statement or a block of code.

Syntax:

break label;

When this form of break executes, control jumps out of the labeled statement or block.

Here is an example:

Java

// Java program to illustrate the
// break keyword as a Goto statement in Java
import java.io.*;

class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
        one : { // label one
        two : { // label two
        three : { // label three
            System.out.println("i=" + i);
            if (i == 0)
                break one; // break to label one
            if (i == 1)
                break two; // break to label two
            if (i == 2)
                break three; // break to label three
        }
            System.out.println("after label three");
        }
            System.out.println("after label two");
        }
            System.out.println("after label one");
        }
    }
}

Output

i=0
after label one
i=1
after label two
after label one
i=2
after label three
after label two
after label one

In the above program, when i=0, the first if statement succeeds, and cause a break to label one and then prints the statement. When i=1, the second if statement succeeds, and cause a break to label two and then prints the statements. When i=2, the third if statement succeeds, and cause a break to the to label three and then prints all the three statements.

Continue Statements

The continue statement pushes the next repetition of the loop to take place, hopping any code between itself and the conditional expression that controls the loop.

Here is an example:

Java

// Java program to illustrate the
// continue keyword in Java
import java.io.*;

class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
            if (i == 6){
                  System.out.println();
                  // using continue keyword
                  // to skip the current iteration
                continue;
            }
            System.out.println(i);
        }
    }
}

Output

0
1
2
3
4
5

7
8
9

In the program, when the value of i is 6, the compiler encounters the continue statement, then 6 is skipped.