Switch Statement

A switch statement is an alternative to long chains of if – else if. It is used when a variable is compared against many fixed values.

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How Switch Works

Conceptually:

• A value is evaluated once
• The program jumps to the matching case
• Only the matching case is executed

Example (JavaScript)

let day = 3;

switch (day) {
  case 1:
    console.log("Monday");
    break;
  case 2:
    console.log("Tuesday");
    break;
  case 3:
    console.log("Wednesday");
    break;
  default:
    console.log("Unknown day");
}

When to Use Switch

Use switch when:

• you compare one value against many options
• conditions are simple equality checks
• readability is important

Use if – else if when:

• conditions are complex
• comparisons involve ranges or logic

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Summary

• switch is an alternative to multiple else if
• It is cleaner for fixed-value comparisons
• Not available in all languages