Topic 8830 min readStructured Tutorial

Continue Statement in Java

Quick Answer

Continue Statement explains the continue statement in Java is a control flow statement used inside loops to skip the current iteration and proceed with the next one.

Learning Objectives

Explain the purpose of Continue Statement in a practical learning context.
Identify the main ideas, terms, and decisions involved in Continue Statement.
Apply Continue Statement in a simple real-world scenario or practice task.

Introduction

The continue statement in Java is a control flow statement used inside loops to skip the current iteration and proceed with the next one.

It helps manage loop execution by allowing selective skipping of code blocks within loops based on conditions.

Control your loops, control your program flow.

Understanding the Continue Statement

The continue statement is used inside loops such as for, while, and do-while to skip the rest of the current iteration.

When the continue statement executes, the loop immediately jumps to the next iteration, bypassing any code that follows it within the loop body.

Works with for, while, and do-while loops.
Skips remaining code in the current iteration.
Proceeds to the next iteration of the loop.

Syntax of Continue Statement

The syntax of the continue statement is straightforward and does not require any parameters.

It can be used as a simple statement within the loop body.

continue;

Using Continue in Different Loops

The continue statement behaves slightly differently depending on the type of loop it is used in.

In for loops, it skips to the update expression, then checks the loop condition again.

In while and do-while loops, it skips directly to the loop condition check.

In for loops: skips to the increment/decrement step.
In while loops: skips to the condition evaluation.
In do-while loops: skips to the condition evaluation after the loop body.

Examples of Continue Statement

Let's look at practical examples demonstrating how the continue statement works in Java loops.

Example 1: Using Continue in a For Loop

This example prints numbers from 1 to 10 but skips printing the number 5 using the continue statement.

Example 2: Using Continue in a While Loop

This example uses a while loop to print numbers from 1 to 10 but skips even numbers using continue.

When to Use Continue Statement

The continue statement is useful when you want to skip certain iterations based on a condition without exiting the loop entirely.

It helps keep the code clean by avoiding nested if-else blocks.

Skip processing for specific values or conditions.
Improve readability by reducing nested conditions.
Control loop flow precisely.

Practical Example

This loop prints numbers from 1 to 10 but skips printing 5 by using continue.

This while loop prints only odd numbers from 1 to 10 by skipping even numbers with continue.

Examples

Example 1: Using Continue in a For Loop

for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
    if (i == 5) {
        continue; // Skip the number 5
    }
    System.out.println(i);
}

This loop prints numbers from 1 to 10 but skips printing 5 by using continue.

Example 2: Using Continue in a While Loop

int i = 1;
while (i <= 10) {
    if (i % 2 == 0) {
        i++;
        continue; // Skip even numbers
    }
    System.out.println(i);
    i++;
}

This while loop prints only odd numbers from 1 to 10 by skipping even numbers with continue.

Best Practices

Use continue to simplify loop logic and avoid deep nesting.
Ensure the loop variable is updated properly to avoid infinite loops when using continue.
Use continue sparingly to maintain code readability.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to update loop variables before continue, causing infinite loops.
Using continue outside loops, which causes compilation errors.
Overusing continue leading to confusing and hard-to-read code.

Hands-on Exercise

Skip Multiples of 3

Write a for loop that prints numbers from 1 to 20 but skips multiples of 3 using the continue statement.

Expected output: Numbers from 1 to 20 excluding 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18.

Hint: Use the modulus operator (%) to check for multiples of 3.

Print Odd Numbers Using Continue

Use a while loop to print only odd numbers between 1 and 15 by skipping even numbers with continue.

Expected output: 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

Hint: Check if a number is even and use continue to skip it.

Interview Questions

What does the continue statement do in Java?

Interview

The continue statement skips the current iteration of a loop and proceeds with the next iteration.

Can continue be used outside of loops?

Interview

No, the continue statement can only be used inside loops such as for, while, and do-while.

What is the difference between continue and break statements?

Interview

The continue statement skips the current iteration and continues the loop, while break exits the loop entirely.