How Does the Java `continue` Keyword Affect Loop Iteration?

Understanding the "continue" Keyword in Java

Java provides a powerful control flow keyword known as "continue." Unlike other control flow keywords, such as "break," which abruptly terminate loops, "continue" plays a unique role in loop processing.

Explaining "continue"

The "continue" keyword behaves as a selective continuation mechanism within loops. Instead of terminating the entire loop, it skips the execution of the remaining statements in the current iteration and immediately proceeds to the next one.

How "continue" Operates

When "continue" is encountered within a loop, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) performs the following steps:

1. Terminates the execution of any remaining statements within the current loop iteration.
2. Returns control to the loop's starting point.
3. Evaluates the loop condition to determine if another iteration should be performed.
4. If the condition is still true, the loop continues to its next iteration, without executing any statements that follow "continue" in the current iteration.

When to Use "continue"

The "continue" keyword is useful in situations where you need to selectively filter out certain iterations in a loop. For example:

• Skipping elements from an array that do not meet a specific condition
• Breaking out of a nested loop based on a criteria
• Iterating through a list while omitting specific indices

The above is the detailed content of How Does the Java `continue` Keyword Affect Loop Iteration?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!