Difference Between Break and Continue Statements in Java

The keywords break and continue keywords is a part of control structures in Java. Sometimes break and continue seem to do the same thing but there is a difference between them.

The break keyword is used to breaks(stopping) a loop execution, which may be a for loop, while loop, do while or for each loop.

The continue keyword is used to skip the particular recursion only in a loop execution, which may be a for loop, while loop, do while or for each loop.

Example:

class BreakAndContinue
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Illustrating break statement (execution stops when value of i becomes to 4.)
        System.out.println("Break Statement\n....................");

        for(int i=1;i<=5;i++)
        {
            if(i==4) break;
            System.out.println(i);
        }

        // Illustrating continue statement (execution skipped when value of i becomes to 1.)
        System.out.println("Continue Statement\n....................");

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

Program Output:

Break Statement
....................
1
2
3

Continue Statement
....................
2
3
4
5

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