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C# Break and Continue

Break is a statement that leaves a loop at once. Continue is a statement that skips the rest of the current pass.

Leaving early

The loop would print up to 9 without break. The break at 3 ends it after 2.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
        {
            if (i == 3)
            {
                break;
            }
            Console.WriteLine(i);
        }
    }
}

Skipping one pass

The pass for 3 uses continue. That pass prints nothing and the loop carries on.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
        {
            if (i == 3)
            {
                continue;
            }
            Console.WriteLine(i);
        }
    }
}

The first multiple

The loop tests each number in turn. The first number divisible by 7 prints, and break stops the search.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        for (int i = 1; i <= 100; i++)
        {
            if (i % 7 == 0)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(i);
                break;
            }
        }
    }
}

Example

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
        {
            if (i == 8)
            {
                break;
            }
            if (i == 4)
            {
                continue;
            }
            Console.WriteLine(i);
        }
    }
}

Key points

  • Use break to leave a loop early.
  • Use continue to skip the rest of the current pass.
  • Continue still lets the next pass run.
  • Break and continue both work inside for and while loops.

In this example, i counts up from 1. The first passes print 1, 2, and 3. The pass for 4 uses continue, so nothing prints. The next passes print 5, 6, and 7. At 8 the break runs and the loop ends.

Note

Break also ends a case in a switch statement.

Try it Yourself

Edit the code, then press Run.

Running is simulated · Programiz C# Compiler

Exercise

What does continue do inside a loop?