break Statement in Java with Example

A break statement is used to terminate the current processing of loop or switch statements, after the termination control returns from the loop immediately to the next statement after the loop.

If we are using a break statement inside an inner loop then it breaks only the inner loop.

Basically, The break statement is useful when a certain condition meets in a loop and there is there no further iteration required then we use the break statement to terminate the loop.

'break' statement in 'for' Loop

  public class BreakWithForLoop {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
          // if the value of i is equal to 5 then terminate the loop
          if (i == 5) {
              break;      // Terminate the loop
          }      
          System.out.println(i);
      }
      System.out.println("You are out of for loop...");
   }
  }

'break' statement inside nested 'for' Loop

We can use a break statement with nested loops as well, if used inside a set of nested loops, will only break out of the innermost loop.

  // A Java Program to demonstrate the use of break statement with for loop
  public class BreakWithNestedForLoop {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      
      // Nested for loop with 'break' statement
      // Outer for Loop
      for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
        // Inner for Loop
        for (int j = 1; j <= 3; j++) {
          if (i == 2 && j == 2) {
            // using break statement inside the inner loop
            break;
          }
          System.out.println("i value = " + i + "     j value = " + j);
        }
      }
      System.out.println("You are out of all the for loop...");
    }
  }

i value = 1      j value = 1
i value = 1      j value = 2
i value = 1      j value = 3
i value = 2      j value = 1
i value = 3      j value = 1
i value = 3      j value = 2
i value = 3      j value = 3
You are out of all the for loop...

'break' statement with Labeled 'for' Loop

A labeled break statement is used to terminate the outer loop, the loop should be labeled for it to work. We are using this feature from JDK 1.5 version onwards.

  public class LabeledBreakWithForLoop {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      // the for loop is labeled as first   
      first:
      for( int i = 1; i < 5; i++) {
        // the for loop is labeled as second
        second:
        for(int j = 1; j < 3; j ++ ) {
          System.out.println("i = " + i + "      j = " +j);
          // the break statement breaks the first for loop
          if ( i == 2)
          break first;
        }
      }
      System.out.println("You are out of for loop...");
    }
  }

'break' statement with 'while' Loop

Same as for loop we can also use break statement with while loop there is no any difference in the output.

  public class BreakWithWhileLoop {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      int i = 1;
      while (i <= 10) {
          // if the value of i is equal to 5 then terminate the loop
          if (i == 5) {
            break;
          }
          System.out.println(i);
          i++;
      }
      System.out.println("You are out of while loop...");
    }
  }

'break' statement with 'do while' Loop

Use a break statement in the do-while loop.
Let's understand it with the help of the given diagram and example below:

  public class BreakWithDoWhileLoop {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      int i = 1;
      do {
          // if the value of i is equal to 5 then terminate the loop
          if (i == 5) {
            break;   // it will break the loop
          }
          System.out.println(i);
          i++;
      } while (i <= 10);
      System.out.println("You are out of do-while loop...");
    }
  }

Same as loop statements we can also use the break statement inside the switch statement. To learn more, navigate to Java switch statement.

Break Statement in Java

'break' statement in 'for' Loop

'break' statement inside nested 'for' Loop

'break' statement with Labeled 'for' Loop

'break' statement with 'while' Loop

'break' statement with 'do while' Loop

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