Chapter 1.4: Introduction to C# and the .NET Framework: Understanding Control Structures in C# (if/else, switch, for, while, do/while)

 Introduction:

In the previous post, we explored the fundamentals of data types, variables, and operators in C#. In this post, we'll dive into control structures, which allow us to control the flow of our program's execution. We will also discuss arrays and collections in the next article.

Control Structures:

Control structures enable us to make decisions, repeat operations, and perform different actions based on specific conditions. The most common control structures in C# are if/else, switch, for, while, and do/while.

• if/else:

The if/else statement allows us to execute a block of code if a specified condition is true and another block of code if the condition is false.

Syntax:

if (condition)
{
    // Code to execute if condition is true
}
else
{
    // Code to execute if condition is false
}

Example:

int age = 18;

if (age >= 18)
{
    Console.WriteLine("You are eligible to vote.");
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine("You are not eligible to vote.");
}

• switch:

The switch statement allows us to select one block of code to execute from multiple choices based on the value of a variable or expression.

Syntax:

switch (variable)
{
    case value1:
        // Code to execute if variable == value1
        break;
    case value2:
        // Code to execute if variable == value2
        break;
    // ... more cases
    default:
        // Code to execute if none of the cases match the variable's value
        break;
}

Example:

int day = 3;

switch (day)
{
    case 1:
        Console.WriteLine("Monday");
        break;
    case 2:
        Console.WriteLine("Tuesday");
        break;
    case 3:
        Console.WriteLine("Wednesday");
        break;
    default:
        Console.WriteLine("Invalid day");
        break;
}

• for:

The for loop enables us to repeat a block of code a specific number of times. It consists of an initialization, a condition, and an increment or decrement operation.

Syntax:

for (initialization; condition; increment/decrement)
{
    // Code to execute for each iteration
}

Example:

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Iteration: " + i);
}

• while:

The while loop allows us to repeat a block of code as long as a specified condition is true.

Syntax:

while (condition)
{
    // Code to execute while condition is true
}

Example:

int counter = 1;

while (counter <= 5)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Counter: " + counter);
    counter++;
}

• do/while:

The do/while loop is similar to the while loop, but it guarantees the block of code will be executed at least once since the condition is checked after the first iteration.

Syntax:

do
{
    // Code to execute
} while (condition);

Example:

int value = 10;

do
{
    Console.WriteLine("Value: " + value);
    value++;
} while (value <= 5);

Conclusion:

In this article, we covered the basics of control structures in C#, including if/else statements, switch statements, and various looping constructs (for, while, and do/while). These control structures are essential for creating more complex and dynamic programs that can adapt to different situations and input data. Understanding and effectively using control structures is a crucial skill for any C# programmer.

In the next article, we'll explore arrays and collections, which are fundamental data structures that allow you to store and manipulate groups of related data items. Stay tuned for more C# learning!