Jump Statements in Java: Understanding break, continue, & return

In Java, jump statements control the flow of execution in a program by allowing some to skip sections of source code or terminate loops and methods. The primary jump statements in Java are break, continue, and return. Each statement serves a unique purpose and can significantly affect your code’s execution. This article will explore the jump statement in detail, providing examples to illustrate its usage.

What is a jump statement in Java?

A jump statement in Java is a control statement that allows execution flow to jump to a specific point in the program, interrupting the normal sequential execution. The main jump statements in Java, break, continue, and return, are used to exit loops, skip iterations, or return from methods.

There are four types of Jump statements in C language.

• Break Statement
• Continue Statement
• Return Statement

Break Statement in Java

The break statement exits a loop or switch statement before its natural termination. When break is encountered, the control jumps out of the loop or switch block and moves to the statement immediately following.

Syntax

break ;

Using break with a for Loop

Output

Explanation

• The following example, we have a for loop that starts with int i =1 and continues as long as i is less than or equal to 5 (i<=5 ).
• The loop will iterate from i = 1 to i=5, and during each iteration. It prints the current value of i using System.out.println(“Loop Iteration” +i).
• We have an if statement inside the loop that checks if i> 3. If the condition is true, the break statement is executed.
• The loop is exited prematurely, and the program continues with the source code with the code after the loop.

Using break  with a while loop

Output

Explanation

• In this example, we have a for loop that starts with int i =1 and continues as long as less than or equal to 5 (i <=5).
• The loop will iterate from i = 1 to i =5 and during each iteration, it prints the current value of i using the System.out.println(“Loop Iteration” +i).
• We have an if statement inside the loop that checks if i > 3. If the condition is true, the break statement is executed.
• The result is that the loop is exited prematurely, and the program will continue the source code in the loop.

continue Statement

The continue statement in Java is a control flow statement used within loops. It allows you to skip the current iteration of a loop and proceed to the next iteration. The continue statement can be used in for, while and do-white loops.

Syntax

continue ;

continue with a for loop.

Program

Output

Return Statement in Java

Using return statement in Java: A return statement is used in Java to mark the end of a method and go back to its caller’s place. It can also provide a value to the method when the method has a particular return type. That makes the return statement compulsory for methods in Java if you want to return some value or a result from a method.

Using return without a value:

The following program demonstrates the return statement without a value. It is used to exit the method without returning any value.

Program

Output

Using return with a value

In this section, the return type other than void, such as int, doubly, String, or any other data type, the return statement is used to exit the method and return a value of the specified type.

Program

Output

Advantages and Disadvantages of Jump Statements in Java

Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Jump Statement in Java language:

Also Read: Java Interview Questions and Answers

Conclusion

The jump statements in Java: they are the break, statement, continue and return. They are essential in managing the control flow, especially in instances such as loops, switches and methods. The break statements are used to terminate a loop or a switch block altogether and thus, no further execution will take place in the current environment. The other is the continue statement, which provides more control to the loop by letting it go directly to the next iteration without completing the current one. The return statement used within methods allows the method to be excited and, if required, to pass back a specific value to the method that is called. These statements give Java programs improved modulation and readability and afford fine-grained control over how a program is to run. Enrol in Hero Vired’s Certificate Program in Application Development to explore Java in detail.