Switch statements

Intermediate Java

Jim White

Java Developer

What is a switch?

Switch serves a purpose similar to if-else statements
- Does some actions based on some condition
- Used in place of multiple if-then-else conditionals
Considered more concise than multiple if-then-else

if (bonus == 10000) {
    System.out.println("Let's buy a car!");
} else if (bonus == 5000) {
    System.out.println("Let's take a trip!");
} else if (bonus == 1000) {
    System.out.println("Let's save!");
}

Switch syntax

switch (expression) {
    case value1:  // if (expression == value1)
        // statements
    case value2:  // if (expression == value2)
        // statements
    // use as many case statements as needed
}

Switch example

char direction = 'N';

switch (direction) {
    case 'E':  
        System.out.println("We are headed east.");
    case 'S':  
        System.out.println("We are headed south.");
    case 'W':  
        System.out.println("We are headed west.");
    case 'N':   
        System.out.println("We are headed north."); // This would be printed
}

Break

Stops Java continuing through the rest of cases
- Without break, Java execute statements in the next case until it hits a break

char direction = 'W';

switch (direction) {
    case 'E':
        System.out.println("We are headed east.");
    case 'S':
        System.out.println("We are headed south.");
    case 'W':
        System.out.println("We are headed west."); // This would be printed
    case 'N':
        System.out.println("We are headed north."); // This would also be printed
}

break allows combining multiple cases together:

char direction = 'N';

switch (direction) {
    case 'E':     
    case 'W':  
        System.out.println("We are headed east or west.");
        break;
    case 'S':  
    case 'N':
        System.out.println("We are headed south or north.");
        break;       
}

We are headed east or west.

Default

An optional default case can be added to the end of a switch
- The default case has no value to compare to the expression
- If no case value matches the expression, the default statements get executed
- default must be the last case in a switch
default is a way to have an "all other values" case

char direction = 'z';

switch (direction) {
  case 'E':     
  case 'W':  
    System.out.println("To east or west.");
    break;
  case 'S':  
  case 'N':
    System.out.println("To south or north.");
    break; 
  default:
    System.out.println("We are lost.");
}

We are lost.

Conditionals versus switch

Conditionals could be used to complete the same task
Work with every data type

char character = 'A';
if (character == 'A') {
    System.out.println("It's A");
} else if (direction =='B') {
    System.out.println("It's B");
} else {
    System.out.println("Unknown");
}

Switch can be easier to read
Works only with some data types like int, byte, short, char, or String

char character = 'A';
switch (character) {
  case 'A':
    System.out.println("It's A");
    break;
  case 'B':  
    System.out.println("It's B");
    break;
  default:
    System.out.println("Unknown");
}

Let's practice!

Intermediate Java