The break in C++ refers to a loop control statement whose use takes place for the termination of the loop. Furthermore, as soon as the break statement is encountered from within a loop, stopping of the loop iterations takes place there. Moreover, control returns immediately to the first statement after the loop.
Simple Demonstration of Break Statement in C programming
#include
using namespace std;
int main () {
// Local variable declaration:
int a = 10;
// do loop execution
do {
cout << "value of a: " << a << endl;
a = a + 1;
if( a > 15) {
// terminate the loop
break;
}
} while( a < 20 );
return 0;
}
When the compiling and execution of the above code takes place, the following result is produced:
value of a: 10
value of a: 11
value of a: 12
value of a: 13
value of a: 14
value of a: 15
Simple Loops
Consider the situation where one has a need to search an array’s element. In such a situation, one must use a loop to traverse the array beginning from the first index. Furthermore, one must carry out a comparison between the array elements and the given key.
Below is the implementation of this idea:
// CPP program to illustrate
// Linear Search
#include
using namespace std;
void findElement(int arr[], int size, int key)
{
Furthermore, here, // loop to traverse array and search for key
Moreover, for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
if (arr[i] == key) {
cout << "Element found at position: " << (i + 1);
}
}
}
// Driver program to test above function
int main()
{
Furthermore, int arr[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };
Moreover, int n = 6; // no of elements
Also, int key = 3; // key to be searched
// Calling function to find the key
findElement(arr, n, key);
return 0;
}
Output:
Element found at index: 3
The running of the above code is fine with no errors. However, the above code is not efficient. Moreover, even after the element is found, the  above code completes all the iterations.
Suppose there is a presence of 1000 elements in the array and the key, whose searching is to take place in present at the first position. In such a case, the execution of 999 iterations will take place by the above approach. Most noteworthy, such iterations are useless and are of no purpose.
To avoid these useless iterations, the use of break statement should take place in the program. Once the break statement is encountered, there would be an immediate return of the control from the loop after the satisfaction of the condition. As such, the use of the break statement would take place with the if condition which facilitates comparison with the key with array elements as demonstrated below:
// CPP program to illustrate
// using break statement
// in Linear Search
#include
using namespace std;
void findElement(int arr[], int size, int key)
{
Furthermore, here, // loop to traverse array and search for key
Moreover, for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
Also, if (arr[i] == key) {
cout << "Element found at position: " << (i + 1);
// using break to terminate loop execution
break;
}
}
}
// Driver program to test above function
int main()
{
int arr[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };
int n = 6; // no of elements
int key = 3; // key to be searched
// Calling function to find the key
findElement(arr, n, key);
return 0;
}
Output:
Element found at position: 3
Browse more Topics under Flow of Control
Nested Loops
Use of break statement can also take place while working with nested loops. Furthermore, the use of the break statement takes place in the innermost loop. Most importantly, only from the innermost loop will the control come out.
Use of break with nested loops is shown with an example below:
// CPP program to illustrate
Furthermore, // using break statement
// in Nested loops
#include
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// nested for loops with break statement
// at inner loop
Furthermore, as one can see, for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
Moreover, for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++) {
if (j > 3)
break;
else
cout << "*";
}
cout << endl;
}
return 0;
}
Output:
***
***
***
***
***
In the above code, the inner loop is programmed to execute for 10 iterations. However, as soon as the value of j becomes greater than 3, the inner loop ceases to execute. Consequently, the number of iterations of the inner loop gets restricted to 3 only.
An important point to understand is that the iteration of the outer loop remains unaffected. Therefore, the application of break takes place to only the loop within which it is present.
Infinite Loops
The inclusion of break statement can take place in an infinite loop with a condition. Moreover, this condition facilitates the termination of the execution of the infinite loop. One must consider the example of the infinite loop below:
// CPP program to illustrate
// using break statement
// in Infinite loops
#include
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// loop initialization expression
int i = 0;
// infinite while loop
while (1) {
cout << i << " ";
i++;
}
return 0;
}
FAQs For Break Statement
Question 1: What is the use of break statement in C++?
Answer 1: Break statement in C++ has the following two usages:
- When the break statement is encountered inside a loop, an immediate termination of the loop takes place. Moreover, the program control resumes, following the loop, at the next statement.
- Its use can take place for terminating a case in the switch statement.
Question 2: Differentiate between break statement and continue statement in C++?
Answer 2: There is certainly a difference between break and continue in C++ programming language. Furthermore, the use of the break takes place for immediate termination of the loop. In contrast, the use of a continue statement takes place to skip the current iteration of the loop.
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