C# loop - break vs. continue

Question

In a C# (feel free to answer for other languages) loop, what's the difference between break and continue as a means to leave the structure of the loop, and go to the next iteration?

Example:

foreach (DataRow row in myTable.Rows) {     if (someConditionEvalsToTrue)     {         break; //what's the difference between this and continue ?         //continue;     } } 

Answer 1

break will exit the loop completely, continue will just skip the current iteration.

For example:

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {     if (i == 0) {         break;     }      DoSomeThingWith(i); } 

The break will cause the loop to exit on the first iteration - DoSomeThingWith will never be executed. This here:

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {     if(i == 0) {         continue;     }      DoSomeThingWith(i); } 

Will not execute DoSomeThingWith for i = 0, but the loop will continue and DoSomeThingWith will be executed for i = 1 to i = 9.

Answer 2

A really easy way to understand this is to place the word "loop" after each of the keywords. The terms now make sense if they are just read like everyday phrases.

break loop - looping is broken and stops.

continue loop - loop continues to execute with the next iteration.