Python Loop Control (Break & Continue)
The break statement immediately terminates loop execution and transfers control out of the loop. The continue statement skips the remainder of the current iteration and jumps directly to the next step.
"continue is like skipping a song you dislike on a playlist and moving to the next track. break is pressing the stop button to turn off the music player completely."
Deep Dive: How It Works
break: Exits the nearest enclosing loop immediately.
continue: Bypasses remaining code inside the loop body for the current element and advances to the update expression.
Labeled Statements: You can label loops to break out of outer nested loops when needed.
Syntax Blueprint
if (skip) continue; ──▶ Next turn | if (done) break; ──▶ Exit loop
Use continue to skip unwanted items and break when search target is discovered.
Core Rules to Remember
Common Beginner Traps & How to Fix Them
Putting continue before the counter increment in a while loop.Why it happens: Skipping the update step in a while loop traps you in an infinite loop.
How to fix: In while loops, ensure the counter increments before calling continue.
Live Interactive Example
Hit Run Code to see it liveYour Turn: Micro Challenge
No pressure! Edit the starter code below and test your solution with instant feedback.
Find first matching element and break
- Loop through numbers 1 to 10.
- If i === 5, print "Found target: 5" and break.
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