What are the loop control statements in Swift?

Control statements are used to control the flow of the loop. The following constructs are used in loop control in swift.

  1. The break statement
  2. The continue statement
  3. The return statement
  4. The throw statement

The break statement

The break statement is used to terminate the loop as soon as it is encountered.

Code example

Let’s have a look at a code example below.

print("Break statement")
for i in 1...8 {
  if i == 3 {
    break
  }
  print(i)
}

Code explanation

The following will provide the code’s interpretation.

  • Line 1: Use the print statement to print the name of the statement.

  • Line 3: Initialize a for loop.

  • Line 4: Add an if condition that will execute when the value of i equals 3.

  • Line 5: Run the break statement.

  • Line 7: Print the current value of i.

The continue statement

The continue statement is used to skip the current iteration of the loop, and the control goes to the next iteration.

Code example

Let’s have a look at a code example below.

print("Continue statement")
for i in 1...5 {
  if i == 3 {
    continue
  }
  print(i)
}

Code explanation

The following will provide the code’s interpretation.

  • Line 1: Use the print statement and print the name of the statement.

  • Line 3: Initialize a for loop.

  • Line 4: Add an if condition that will execute when the value of i equals 3.

  • Line 5: Run the continue statement.

  • Line 7: Print the current value of i.

The return statement

The return statement is used to return/exit from a function.

Code example

print("Return statement")
func test() {
  for i in 1...8 {
      if i == 3 {
        return
      }
      print(i)
  }
}
test()

Code explanation

The following will provide the code’s interpretation.

  • Line 1: Use the print statement and print the name of the statement.

  • Line 3: Initialize a function named test().

  • Line 4: Initialize a for loop.

  • Line 5: Add an if condition that will execute when the value of i equals 3.

  • Line 6: Run the continue statement.

  • Line 8: Print the current value of i.

  • Line 12: Call the function test().

The throw statement

The throw statement is used to raise/throw an exception.

Code example

Let’s have a look at a code example below.

print("throw statement")
enum ValueError: Error {
    case runtimeError(String)
}
func test() throws {
  for i in 1...8 {
      if i == 3 {
          throw ValueError.runtimeError("Invalid value - " + i)
      }
      print(i)
  }
}
test()

Code explanation

The following will provide the code’s interpretation.

  • Line 1: Using the print statement, print the statement name used in the example.

  • Line 3–5: Created an enum.

  • Line 7: Initializing a function named test().

  • Line 8: Initializing a for loop.

  • Line 9: Add an if condition that will execute when the value of i equals 3.

  • Line 10: Run the throw statement.

  • Line 12: Print the current value of i.

  • Line 16: Call the function test().

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