.NET Core Documentation

Control Flow in .NET Core

Control flow statements are fundamental to programming, allowing you to dictate the order in which code is executed. They enable your programs to make decisions, repeat actions, and branch execution paths based on certain conditions.

Conditional Statements

Conditional statements allow you to execute different blocks of code based on whether a condition is true or false.

The if Statement

The if statement executes a block of code only if a specified condition evaluates to true.

if (condition)
{
    // Code to execute if condition is true
}

The if-else Statement

The if-else statement provides an alternative block of code to execute if the if condition is false.

if (condition)
{
    // Code to execute if condition is true
}
else
{
    // Code to execute if condition is false
}

The if-else if-else Statement

This structure allows for checking multiple conditions sequentially. Execution stops at the first condition that evaluates to true.

if (condition1)
{
    // Code for condition1
}
else if (condition2)
{
    // Code for condition2
}
else
{
    // Code if no conditions are true
}

The switch Statement

The switch statement provides a way to execute different code blocks based on the value of an expression. It's often more readable than long if-else if chains.

switch (expression)
{
    case value1:
        // Code for value1
        break;
    case value2:
        // Code for value2
        break;
    default:
        // Code if no case matches
        break;
}

Looping Statements

Looping statements allow you to execute a block of code repeatedly.

The for Loop

The for loop is typically used when you know the number of times you want to iterate.

for (initialization; condition; iterator)
{
    // Code to repeat
}

Example:

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Iteration: {i}");
}

The while Loop

The while loop executes a block of code as long as a specified condition remains true.

while (condition)
{
    // Code to repeat
}

The do-while Loop

The do-while loop is similar to the while loop, but it guarantees that the code block is executed at least once before the condition is checked.

do
{
    // Code to repeat
} while (condition);

The foreach Loop

The foreach loop is used to iterate over collections (like arrays, lists, etc.).

foreach (var item in collection)
{
    // Code to process each item
}

Jump Statements

Jump statements alter the normal flow of execution within loops or switch statements.

The break Statement

The break statement is used to exit a loop or a switch statement immediately.

The continue Statement

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

The return Statement

The return statement exits the current method and optionally returns a value.

The goto Statement

The goto statement transfers control to a labeled statement within the same method. Its use is generally discouraged due to potential readability issues.

Mastering control flow statements is crucial for writing dynamic and responsive applications in .NET Core. Experiment with these constructs to build sophisticated logic within your programs.