Continue Statement in Java

Last Updated: 28 May, 2022

In Java, the continue statement is mainly used inside the loops such as for loop, while loop, do-while loop, etc. The purpose of the continue statement is to continue the current running flow of the Java program and skip the rest of the code at the specified condition.

If we are using the continue statement inside the inner loop then it continues the inner loop only it does not affect the outer loop execution flow.

Syntax:

continue;

Java Continue Statement with for Loop

Execution flow of for loop with continue statement

Example 1 : Java Continue Statement with for Loop

public class ContinueWithForLoop { public static void main(String[] args) { for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) { if (i % 2 != 0) { // continue statement inside for loop continue; } System.out.println("Even No.: " + i); } } }

Output

Even No.: 2
Even No.: 4
Even No.: 6
Even No.: 8
Even No.: 10

Example 2 : Java Continue Statement with Inner for Loop

public class ContinueWithInnerForLoop { public static void main(String[] args) { // Outer for Loop for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) { // Inner for Loop for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++) { if (j % 2 != 0) { // continue statement inside inner for loop continue; } System.out.println("Even No.: " + j); } } } }

Output

Even No.: 2
Even No.: 4
Even No.: 6
Even No.: 8
Even No.: 10
Even No.: 2
Even No.: 4
Even No.: 6
Even No.: 8
Even No.: 10
Even No.: 2
Even No.: 4
Even No.: 6
Even No.: 8
Even No.: 10

Example 3 : Java Continue Statement with Labelled For Loop

public class ContinueWithLabelledForLoop { public static void main(String[] args) { outerLable: for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) { innerLabel: for (int j = 1; j <= 5; j++) { if (j == 3) { // continue statement with label for loop System.out.println("Inner Loop: " + j); continue outerLable; } System.out.println("Outer Loop: " + i); } } } }

Output

Outer Loop: 1
Outer Loop: 1
Inner Loop: 3
Outer Loop: 2
Outer Loop: 2
Inner Loop: 3
Outer Loop: 3
Outer Loop: 3
Inner Loop: 3

Java Continue Statement with while Loop

Execution flow of while loop with continue statement

Example 4 : Java Continue Statement with while Loop

public class ContinueWithWhileLoop { public static void main(String[] args) { int i = 1; while (i <= 10) { if (i % 2 != 0) { i++; // continue statement inside while loop continue; } System.out.println("Even No.: " + i); i++; } } }

Output

Even No.: 2
Even No.: 4
Even No.: 6
Even No.: 8
Even No.: 10

Java Continue Statement with do-while Loop

Execution flow of do-while loop with continue statement

Example 5 : Java Continue Statement with do-while Loop

public class ContinueWithDoWhileLoop { public static void main(String[] args) { int i = 1; do { if (i % 2 != 0) { i++; // continue statement inside do-while loop continue; } System.out.println("Even No.: " + i); i++; } while (i <= 10); } }

Output

Even No.: 2
Even No.: 4
Even No.: 6
Even No.: 8
Even No.: 10