Lesson 18 of 55
7 mins readPython Loop Termination with break
In Plain English
The `break` statement immediately terminates the innermost enclosing `for`, `while`, or `repeat` loop and transfers control to the statement following `end`.
Deep Dive: How It Works
Innermost Loop Exit: `break` only exits the immediate loop in which it appears.
Last Statement Rule: In Lua 5.1, `break` had to be the last statement in a block; in modern Lua, it can appear anywhere.
Searching Pattern: Common idiom for terminating early when a search target is located.
Core Rules to Remember
break Statement: Instantly breaks out of the loop.
Early Exit Pattern: Improves performance by terminating loops once the work is complete.
Live Interactive Example
Hit Run Code to see it liveFinding Target and Breaking
Python 3.12
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Output Console
Click "Run Code" to view the rendered output.
How it works: break terminated the loop immediately after finding 42.
Your Turn: Micro Challenge
No pressure! Edit the starter code below and test your solution with instant feedback.
Micro Exercise
Break on Condition
- Loop `for i = 1, 10 do`. If `i == 4`, `break`.
- Print `"Value: " .. i`.
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Sandbox Output
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