When to use switch-case in coding

What is switch-case statement?

The switch-case statement is a control flow statement used in programming languages like C, C++, Java, and others. It is used to execute a block of code based on the value of a given expression. The switch-case statement evaluates the expression and compares it with multiple values called cases. Depending on the value of the expression, the corresponding case is executed. If none of the cases match the expression, a default case can be used to execute a block of code.

When to use switch-case?

The switch-case statement is commonly used when there are multiple possible conditions to be checked against a single expression. It provides a more efficient and readable way to handle multiple branches compared to using multiple if-else statements. Switch-case statements are particularly useful when dealing with a large number of conditions or when the conditions are based on constant values.

Advantages of using switch-case

One of the main advantages of using switch-case statements is their simplicity and readability. Switch-case statements make the code more organized and easier to understand, especially when there are multiple conditions to be checked. They also improve performance in some cases, as the switch statement can be more efficient than a series of if-else statements.

Limitations of switch-case

While switch-case statements have their advantages, they also have limitations. One major limitation is that switch-case statements can only be used with expressions that evaluate to integral types (such as integers or characters). 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 unique constant value, which can make it difficult to handle ranges of values or complex conditions.