Is `goto` Always Bad for Breaking Out of Nested Loops?

gotoStatement: Weighing pros and cons

Breaking out of nested loops is a common problem in programming. However, using the goto statement to achieve this has been controversial because of its negative reputation.

gotoEvaluation of statements

Despite the bad reputation of the goto statement, it is still a valid construct in many programming languages. It does have its valid uses, especially when breaking out of nested loops.

In the example given, using goto allows for a clean break out of the inner and outer loops without introducing unnecessary complexity. This is a legitimate use case for goto.

Alternative methods

Some people suggest using methods or exceptions to break out of loops. However, these methods may be more complex and less efficient than goto.

• Methods: Creating a separate method for the inner loop introduces an unnecessary level of indirection and reduces the readability of the code.
• Exceptions: Using exceptions to break out of loops can be inefficient and error-prone because the exception stack needs to be unrolled each time.

Conclusion

Although the goto statement can be misused, the examples provided demonstrate its valid and reasonable use cases. In this case, goto can be a clear and efficient solution to break out of nested loops.

Remember that the suitability of any programming construct (including goto) depends on the specific context and purpose of the code.

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