Control Flow: Conditional Statements in C
By Swann
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Introduction
Control flow is a pivotal concept in C programming, allowing developers to define the order in which the program's statements are executed. Conditional statements, like if, else if, and switch, enable the program to make decisions, executing specific blocks of code based on particular conditions.
The if Statement
Syntax
if (condition) {
// code to be executed if condition is true
}
Example
if (age >= 18) {
printf("Eligible to vote.\n");
}
The if-else Statement
Syntax
if (condition) {
// code to be executed if condition is true
} else {
// code to be executed if condition is false
}
Example
if (age >= 18) {
printf("Eligible to vote.\n");
} else {
printf("Not eligible to vote.\n");
}
The else if Statement
Syntax
if (condition1) {
// code to be executed if condition1 is true
} else if (condition2) {
// code to be executed if condition2 is true
} else {
// code to be executed if both conditions are false
}
Example
if (grade == 'A') {
printf("Excellent!\n");
} else if (grade == 'B') {
printf("Good!\n");
} else {
printf("Try Harder!\n");
}
The switch Statement
Syntax
switch (expression) {
case constant1:
// code to be executed if expression is equal to constant1;
break;
case constant2:
// code to be executed if expression is equal to constant2;
break;
default:
// code to be executed if expression doesn't match any constants;
}
Example
switch (day) {
case 1:
printf("Monday\n");
break;
case 2:
printf("Tuesday\n");
break;
default:
printf("Invalid day\n");
}
Conclusion
Conditional statements in C play a vital role in controlling the flow of program execution, enabling logical decision-making processes within your code. By mastering if, else if, and switch statements, developers ensure that their programs can respond and adapt to various conditions and inputs, leading to dynamic and interactive applications.