break and continue

Using break

break immediately stops the nearest enclosing for loop, skipping any remaining iterations, and execution continues with the code right after the loop.

Example: Using break

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
		if i == 4 {
			break
		}
		fmt.Println(i)
	}
}

Using continue

continue skips the rest of the current iteration's body and jumps straight to the loop's next iteration (running the post statement first, in a three-part for loop).

Example: Using continue

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
	for i := 0; i < 6; i++ {
		if i%2 == 0 {
			continue
		}
		fmt.Println("odd:", i)
	}
}

break Inside switch

Because switch also accepts break, a break statement written inside a switch that itself sits inside a loop only exits the switch -- it does not also exit the loop. This surprises people used to languages where break always targets the nearest loop.

Note: Remember: a bare break in a switch stops the switch, not the loop it's inside.

Example: break Inside switch

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
		switch i {
		case 1:
			break // only exits the switch, loop continues
		default:
			fmt.Println("processing", i)
		}
	}
}

Labeled break and continue

To break or continue an outer loop from inside a nested one, Go lets you label the outer loop and reference that label, giving precise control without resorting to goto or flag variables.

Example: Labeled break and continue

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
Outer:
	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
		for j := 0; j < 3; j++ {
			if j == 1 {
				continue Outer
			}
			fmt.Println(i, j)
		}
	}
}