C++ Continue
In C++, the continue statement is a useful tool for avoiding specific scenarios without breaking the loop. It is employed inside loops to move directly to the following iteration and skip the current one.
Syntax:
It has the following syntax:
continue;
Working:
- When the loop’s continue is reached, the rest of the code in the current iteration is skipped.
- The loop subsequently executes the next iteration from there.
- It is commonly used within while, for, and do-while loops.
Points to remember:
- The continue statement is not the same as break, which completely breaks the loop.
- When we need to skip particular iterations according to certain conditions, it is helpful.
- It works with all loop structures, including do-while, while, and for.
Key Features:
Several key features of continue statement in C++ are as follows:
- Skips the Current Iteration: The loop skips the current iteration and proceeds to the next one without examining the remaining statements.
- All loop types, including while, do-while, and for loops, are compatible with it.
- Doesn’t Close the Loop: In contrast to break, continue only skips a few iterations instead of closing the loop.
- Condition-based execution, typically used in if statements, enables us to purposefully omit particular iterations based on preset criteria.
- Improves Code Readability: Highly nested conditional expressions can be avoided by avoiding pointless iterations.
- Frequently Used in Filtering Operations: Frequently used in loops that need to skip specific values (e.g., reporting only odd or even numbers).
Algorithm:
-
Start
-
Initialize a loop that runs from i = 1 to i = 5.
-
Inside the loop, check if i == 3.
-
If true, execute continue, which skips the rest of the loop body for that iteration.
-
If false, print i.
-
-
The loop continues to the next iteration.
-
Once the loop completes all iterations, the program ends.
Pseudo code:
BEGIN
FOR i FROM 1 TO 5 DO
IF i EQUALS 3 THEN
CONTINUE // Skip this iteration
ENDIF
PRINT "Number: ", i
ENDFOR
END
Example 1:
Let us take an example to illustrate the continue statement in C++.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
if (i == 3) {
continue; // Skips the rest of the loop body when i == 3
}
cout << "Number: " << i << endl;
}
return 0;
}
Output:
Number: 1 Number: 2 Number: 4 Number: 5
The result shows that the continue statement is run and the cout command is skipped for that iteration when i == 3.
Example 2:
Let us take another example to illustrate the continue statement for nested for loop in C++.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
cout << "Output of Outer Loop" << endl;
for (int i = 1; i <= 12; i++) {
if (i == 5 || i == 10) {
continue;
}
cout << i << " ";
}
cout << endl << "Output of Nested Loop" << endl;
// Continue within inner loop
for (int x = 1; x <= 3; x++) {
for (int y = 0; y < 6; y++) {
if (y == 2) {
continue;
}
cout << x << y << " ";
}
}
return 0;
}
Output:
Output of Outer Loop 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 Output of Nested Loop 10 11 13 14 15 20 21 23 24 25 30 31 33 34 35
Example 3:
Let us take another example to illustrate the continue statement using the While loop in C++.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
int i = 0;
while (i < 5) {
i++; // Increment i at the start
// If i is 3, skip this iteration
if (i == 3) {
continue;
}
cout << "Number: " << i << endl;
}
return 0;
}
Output:
Number: 1 Number: 2 Number: 4 Number: 5
Explanation:
- The loop keeps going till i < 5 and starts at i = 0.
- The i variable is increased before the condition is checked.
- When i == 3, continue is used instead of the cout command.
- The loop proceeds to the next iteration without printing the third.
Example 4:
Let us take another example to illustrate continue statement using Do-While Loop in C++.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
int i = 0;
do {
i++; // Increment i at the start
// If i is 3, skip this iteration
if (i == 3) {
continue;
}
cout << "Number: " << i << endl;
} while (i < 5);
return 0;
}
Output:
Number: 1 Number: 2 Number: 4 Number: 5
Explanation:
- The do-while loop is used at least once.
- The i variable is raised at the start of every repetition.
- When I == 3, the continue statement is executed, leaving out cout << "Number: " << i << endl;.
- In this cycle, i = 4 and i = 5 are used.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, programmers can skip some repetitions of a loop without completely ending it by using the continue statement due to C++’s strong control flow architecture. It is useful when one can afford to disregard certain requirements but wants to complete the loop. The continue statement is existent for the for, while, and do-while loops improves readability and efficiency by removing unnecessary nesting of conditional statements. Sometimes, the use of continue makes the explanation harder to follow, so it should be used judiciously. When understood correctly and used appropriately, programs are much clearer and more efficient, which gives us better control over how loops are executed.