What is the use of the "break" and "continue" keywords in Python loops?

Table of Contants

Introduction:

In Python, loops (for and while) allow you to execute a block of code multiple times. To control the flow of these loops, Python provides two useful keywords: break and continue. These keywords allow you to alter the normal flow of loops by either terminating the loop prematurely or skipping certain iterations.

The break Keyword in Python

The break keyword is used to exit a loop immediately, regardless of whether the loop has finished iterating through all elements. Once break is encountered, the loop terminates, and the control moves to the next statement following the loop.

Syntax:

Example : Using break in a for Loop

• Output:

• The loop prints numbers from 1 to 4. When the value of num reaches 5, the break statement is executed, and the loop terminates, skipping the rest of the numbers.

Example : Using break in a while Loop

• Output:

• The loop stops when i equals 7, exiting the loop due to the break statement.

The continue Keyword in Python

The continue keyword is used to skip the current iteration of the loop and move directly to the next one. Unlike break, it doesn’t terminate the entire loop but simply bypasses the remaining code in the current iteration and continues with the next.

Syntax:

Example : Using continue in a for Loop

• Output:

• The loop skips printing the number 3 by using the continue statement and continues with the next iterations.

Example : Using continue in a while Loop

• Output:

• The loop skips the iteration where i equals 2, but continues to print the other numbers.

Key Differences Between break and continue

• break: Exits the loop entirely, stopping further iterations.
• continue: Skips the current iteration and continues with the next iteration of the loop.

Practical Use Cases for break and continue

1. Finding an Item in a List and Stopping the Search:

If you're searching for a specific item in a list and want to stop once it is found, you can use the break keyword.

Example:

• Output:

2. Skipping Specific Values in a List:

If you want to process all elements in a list except for specific values, you can use the continue keyword.

Example:

• Output:

• This loop skips even numbers and only prints odd numbers.

Conclusion:

The break and continue keywords in Python are powerful tools for controlling the flow of loops. The break keyword allows you to exit a loop when a certain condition is met, while continue enables you to skip an iteration and move to the next one. By using these keywords effectively, you can manage loop execution more efficiently and handle various conditions within your loops.