C# loop - break vs. continue

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.

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.

break causes the program counter to jump out of the scope of the innermost loop

for(i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
    if(i == 2)
        break;
}

Works like this

for(i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
    if(i == 2)
        goto BREAK;
}
BREAK:;

continue jumps to the end of the loop. In a for loop, continue jumps to the increment expression.

for(i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
    if(i == 2)
        continue;

    printf("%d", i);
}

Works like this

for(i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
    if(i == 2)
        goto CONTINUE;

    printf("%d", i);

    CONTINUE:;
}