Introduction to Loops in C

Loops are an essential programming construct that allow you to execute a set of statements repeatedly as long as a certain condition is met. In the C programming language, there are three main types of loops: `for`, `while`, and `do-while`. These loops serve different purposes but all help in controlling the flow of your program.

1. The `for` Loop

The `for` loop in C is a versatile loop that consists of three parts: initialization, condition, and update. It is commonly used when you know the number of iterations in advance.

for (initialization; condition; update) {

    // Code to be repeated

}

Example:

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {

    printf("Iteration %d\n", i);

}

 2. The `while` Loop

The `while` loop repeatedly executes a block of code as long as a given condition is true. It's useful when you don't know the number of iterations beforehand.

while (condition) {

    // Code to be repeated

}

Example:

int num = 1;

while (num <= 5) {

    printf("Number: %d\n", num);

    num++;

}

3. The `do-while` Loop

Similar to the `while` loop, the `do-while` loop executes a block of code as long as a given condition is true. The main difference is that the condition is checked after the block of code is executed, ensuring the code is executed at least once.

do {

    // Code to be repeated

} while (condition);

Example:

int choice;

do {

    printf("1. Play\n");

    printf("2. Quit\n");

    printf("Enter your choice: ");

    scanf("%d", &choice);

} while (choice != 2);

Loop Control Statements

 1. `break` Statement

The `break` statement is used to exit the current loop prematurely, regardless of whether the loop condition is still true.

for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {

    if (i == 5) {

        break;

    }

    printf("Iteration %d\n", i);

}

 2. `continue` Statement

The `continue` statement is used to skip the rest of the current iteration and move to the next iteration of the loop.

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {

    if (i == 3) {

        continue;

    }

    printf("Iteration %d\n", i);

}