Java Break Statement With Examples

A quick guide to Break Statement in java. Break is used to come out of loop or switch case. Break Example and how to use Break in two while loops.

Java break statement is used in a loop or switch case. If it encounters inside a loop then it terminates the loop and continues execution after the loop.

While loops in Java

It can be used to terminate a case in the switch statement.

Switch statement in java

Syntax:

break;

Flow Chart:

Break Statement Example:

package com.adeepdrive.switchdemo;
public class BreakExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int number = 1;
        while (number <= 10) {
            System.out.println("number : " + number);
            if (number == 5) {
                System.out.println("break statement");
                break;
            }
            number++;
        }
        System.out.println("After while loop.");
    }
}

Output:

number : 1
number : 2
number : 3
number : 4
number : 5
break statement
After while loop.

In the above program if we comment the break line then we will get the number from 1 to 10. But, we have added the condition if number is 5 then used break statement. That means indicated to stop the loop and come out to execute after the loop.

Break in two while loops:

Break statement behavior is different if we use it in nested loops. See the below example and output.

package com.adeepdrive.switchdemo;
public class BreakExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int oddNumber = 1;
        int evenNumber = 0;
        while (evenNumber <= 10) {
            oddNumber = 1;
            System.out.println("Even : " + evenNumber);
            while (oddNumber <= 10) {
                System.out.print(oddNumber + " ");
                if (oddNumber == 5) {
                    break;
                }
                oddNumber = oddNumber + 2;
            }
            System.out.println();
            evenNumber = evenNumber + 2;
        }
        System.out.println("After while loop.");
    }
}

Output:

Even : 0
1 3 5
Even : 2
1 3 5
Even : 4
1 3 5
Even : 6
1 3 5
Even : 8
1 3 5
Even : 10
1 3 5
After while loop.

Even though the break statement is present, it coming out only from the current while loop but not from outer while loop.

Note: Always break is to the specific to the current loop but not for its outer loops.

Java Break statement