Switch-case: a fundamental element of conditional logic

What is switch-case?

Switch-case is a fundamental element of conditional logic in programming languages. It is a control statement that allows a program to evaluate an expression and execute different blocks of code based on the value of that expression. This provides a way to implement multi-way branching in code, where different actions can be taken depending on the value of a variable.

How does switch-case work?

The switch statement evaluates an expression and then compares it to multiple values (cases) to determine which block of code to execute. Each case in the switch statement represents a specific value that the expression can take. If the value of the expression matches a case, the corresponding block of code is executed.

It is important to note that once a case is matched and executed, the switch statement will exit, unless a break statement is used. The break statement is used to exit the switch statement and prevent the execution of subsequent cases.

Advantages of switch-case

Switch-case statements are often preferred over multiple if-else statements in situations where multiple conditions need to be evaluated. They can make code more readable and maintainable, especially when there are many possible values to check for. Switch-case statements also tend to be more efficient than long chains of if-else statements, as they allow for direct jumps to the correct code block based on the value of the expression.

Limitations of switch-case

While switch-case statements are a powerful tool in programming, they do have some limitations. One limitation is that the expression in a switch statement must evaluate to an integer, character, or enumeration type. This means that switch-case statements cannot be used with floating-point numbers or strings.

Another limitation is that each case in a switch statement must be a constant value known at compile time. This means that variables or complex expressions cannot be used as cases in a switch statement. Additionally, switch-case statements can only be used to compare equality, not perform other types of comparisons like greater than or less than.