C# continue Statement

Introduction

The continue statement in C# is used to skip the remaining code inside the current iteration of a loop and proceed with the next iteration. It is useful when you want to skip certain iterations based on a condition without terminating the entire loop.

Syntax

In a for Loop

for (initialization; condition; iteration)
{
    if (someCondition)
    {
        continue;
    }
    // Code to execute in the loop
}

In a while Loop

while (condition)
{
    if (someCondition)
    {
        continue;
    }
    // Code to execute in the loop
}

In a do-while Loop

do
{
    if (someCondition)
    {
        continue;
    }
    // Code to execute in the loop
} while (condition);

Example: Using continue in a for Loop

Here’s a complete example demonstrating the use of the continue statement in a for loop in C#:

using System;

namespace ContinueInForLoopExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Using a for loop to print numbers from 1 to 10
            // but skip numbers that are multiples of 3
            for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
            {
                if (i % 3 == 0)
                {
                    continue; // Skip the current iteration
                }
                Console.WriteLine("Number: " + i);
            }

            // This will always be executed
            Console.WriteLine("Loop finished.");
        }
    }
}

Output

Number: 1
Number: 2
Number: 4
Number: 5
Number: 7
Number: 8
Number: 10
Loop finished.

Explanation

1. Initialization: for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) initializes the loop counter i to 1 and specifies the loop condition and iteration.
2. Condition Check: if (i % 3 == 0) checks if i is a multiple of 3.
3. Continue Statement: continue; skips the current iteration when i is a multiple of 3.
4. Loop Body: Console.WriteLine("Number: " + i); prints the current value of i.

Example: Using continue in a while Loop

This example demonstrates the use of the continue statement in a while loop to skip even numbers:

using System;

namespace ContinueInWhileLoopExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int counter = 0;

            // Using a while loop to print odd numbers from 1 to 10
            while (counter < 10)
            {
                counter++;

                if (counter % 2 == 0)
                {
                    continue; // Skip the current iteration
                }

                Console.WriteLine("Odd Number: " + counter);
            }

            // This will always be executed
            Console.WriteLine("Loop finished.");
        }
    }
}

Output

Odd Number: 1
Odd Number: 3
Odd Number: 5
Odd Number: 7
Odd Number: 9
Loop finished.

Explanation

1. Initialization: int counter = 0; initializes the counter variable to 0.
2. Condition Check: while (counter < 10) ensures the loop runs as long as the counter is less than 10.
3. Increment: counter++; increments the counter by 1.
4. Continue Statement: if (counter % 2 == 0) { continue; } skips the current iteration when the counter is even.
5. Loop Body: Console.WriteLine("Odd Number: " + counter); prints the current value of the counter if it is odd.

Example: Using continue in a do-while Loop

This example demonstrates the use of the continue statement in a do-while loop to skip negative numbers:

using System;

namespace ContinueInDoWhileLoopExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int[] numbers = { -1, 2, -3, 4, -5, 6, -7, 8, -9, 10 };
            int index = 0;

            // Using a do-while loop to print positive numbers from the array
            do
            {
                if (numbers[index] < 0)
                {
                    index++;
                    continue; // Skip the current iteration
                }

                Console.WriteLine("Positive Number: " + numbers[index]);
                index++;
            } while (index < numbers.Length);

            // This will always be executed
            Console.WriteLine("Loop finished.");
        }
    }
}

Output

Positive Number: 2
Positive Number: 4
Positive Number: 6
Positive Number: 8
Positive Number: 10
Loop finished.

Explanation

1. Initialization: int[] numbers = { -1, 2, -3, 4, -5, 6, -7, 8, -9, 10 }; initializes an array of numbers. int index = 0; initializes the index variable.
2. Condition Check: do { ... } while (index < numbers.Length); ensures the loop runs as long as the index is less than the length of the array.
3. Continue Statement: if (numbers[index] < 0) { index++; continue; } skips the current iteration when the number at the current index is negative.
4. Loop Body: Console.WriteLine("Positive Number: " + numbers[index]); prints the current value of the array element if it is positive. index++; increments the index by 1.

Conclusion

The continue statement is used for controlling the flow of loops in C#. It allows you to skip the remaining code in the current iteration and proceed with the next iteration based on a specific condition. By understanding and using the continue statement, you can handle various loop scenarios efficiently and write cleaner, more readable code in your C# programs.