Java - goto keyword

Java does not support goto statement. It is kept as a reserved keyword for future. As an alternative, Java supports labels with break and continue statement.

We can use label within loops as well as in block statements.

Syntax

// break using label in loop 
outer: {
   for (...){
      for (...){
         break outer;
      }
   }
}

// continue using label in loop 
outer: {
   for (...){
      for (...){
         continue outer;
      }
   }
}

// break using label in statement
outer: {
   inner: {
      break outer;
   }
}

// continue using label in statement
outer: {
   inner: {
      continue outer;
   }
}

Following example shows the use of break statement in block statements. We've defined a label outer over a block and in that block we're having another inner block. In inner block, we're breaking to outer block based on a condition. As outer block is not executed completedly, only statement of inner block is executed.

Example

package com.tutorialspoint;

public class JavaTester {
   public static void main(String args[]) {
      int i = 0;
      outer: { 		  
         inner :{			   
            System.out.println("inner block ends");
            i++;
            if(i != 0) {
               break outer;   
            }		   			   			
         }
         System.out.println("outer block ends");      
      }
   }	
}

Output

inner block ends