Control statements are the part of Java that lets your program make decisions and repeat tasks. They help control how and when certain pieces of code run.

Java offers three main categories of control statements:

Decision-Making Statements

1. if and else

Use: To execute code conditionally.

int score = 85;

if (score >= 90) {
    System.out.println("Grade: A");
} else if (score >= 75) {
    System.out.println("Grade: B");
} else {
    System.out.println("Grade: C or below");
}

2. switch

Use: A cleaner alternative to multiple if-else checks on the same variable.

String day = "MONDAY";

switch (day) {
    case "MONDAY":
        System.out.println("Start of the week");
        break;
    case "FRIDAY":
        System.out.println("Almost weekend");
        break;
    default:
        System.out.println("Midweek day");
}

From Java 14+, you can use enhanced switch expressions:

String result = switch (day) {
    case "MONDAY" -> "Start of the week";
    case "FRIDAY" -> "Almost weekend";
    default -> "Midweek day";
};

Looping Statements

1. for loop

Use: To run a block of code a fixed number of times.

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    System.out.println("Count: " + i);
}

2. while loop

Use: Runs as long as a condition is true.

int i = 0;
while (i < 3) {
    System.out.println("i = " + i);
    i++;
}

3. do-while loop

Use: Similar to while, but runs at least once.

int i = 0;
do {
    System.out.println("i = " + i);
    i++;
} while (i < 3);

Branching Statements

1. break

Use: Exits a loop or switch early.

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
    if (i == 3) break;
    System.out.println(i);
}

2. continue

Use: Skips the current iteration of a loop.

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
    if (i == 3) continue;
    System.out.println(i);
}

3. return

Use: Exits from a method.

public int sum(int a, int b) {
    return a + b;
}

Summary

Control statements are the logic muscles of your program. They let your code think, decide, and repeat—all the essentials of real-world programming. With these tools, your programs can interact with input, respond to conditions, and run smartly.


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