In Dart, break and continue are powerful flow control statements used within loops. They allow developers to alter the normal execution of loops, providing greater flexibility in program design.

The Break Statement

The break statement is used to exit a loop prematurely. When encountered, it immediately terminates the loop's execution and transfers control to the next statement after the loop.

Example of Break in Action


for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
  if (i == 5) {
    break;
  }
  print(i);
}
print('Loop ended');

In this example, the loop will print numbers from 0 to 4, then exit when i equals 5, skipping the remaining iterations.

The Continue Statement

continue is used to skip the rest of the current iteration and move to the next one. It's particularly useful when you want to bypass certain loop iterations based on specific conditions.

Continue in Practice


for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
  if (i == 2) {
    continue;
  }
  print('Number: $i');
}

This code will print all numbers from 0 to 4, except for 2, which is skipped due to the continue statement.

Best Practices and Considerations

Use break when you need to exit a loop completely based on a condition.
Employ continue to skip specific iterations without terminating the entire loop.
Be cautious with nested loops; break and continue affect only the innermost loop unless specified otherwise.
Consider using labeled breaks for more complex loop structures.

Related Concepts

To further enhance your understanding of loop control in Dart, explore these related topics:

Mastering break and continue statements is crucial for writing efficient and flexible Dart code. These tools allow for more nuanced control over loop execution, enabling developers to create more sophisticated program flows.