Break & Continue

Overview

Jump statements alter normal loop execution. `break` completely exits the loop, while `continue` skips the current iteration and proceeds to the next one.

Syntax

cpp

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
    if (i == 3) continue; // Skips printing 3
    if (i == 7) break;    // Stops the loop entirely
    cout << i << " ";
}
// Output: 0 1 2 4 5 6

Common Pitfalls

Using `break` outside of a loop or switch statement (compile error).
Overusing jump statements can make code harder to read and trace (spaghetti code).

Interview Tips

Note that `break` only exits the *innermost* loop it is inside. To break out of nested loops, you must use flags or a `goto` statement (though `goto` is highly discouraged).

Real-World Example

Searching for a specific item and breaking early to save time.

example

cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    vector<int> data = {12, 45, 9, 23, 78};
    int target = 23;
    
    for (int i = 0; i < data.size(); i++) {
        if (data[i] == target) {
            cout << "Found target at index " << i << endl;
            break; // Stop searching once found
        }
    }
    return 0;
}

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