What is the Difference Between if else and switch?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main differences between if-else and switch statements are:
- Purpose: If-else statements are used to choose between two options based on a condition, while switch statements are used to choose among multiple options based on the value of a variable.
- Datatypes: If-else statements can evaluate integers, characters, pointers, floating-point values, and boolean types, while switch statements can evaluate only integers and character expressions.
- Conditional Check: If-else statements check for equality and logical expressions, while switch statements check only for equality.
- Search Method: If-else statements enforce linear search, while switch statements enforce binary search.
- Statement Execution: In if-else statements, only one statement is executed (either if or else), while in switch statements, each case is executed one after the other.
- Usage: If-else statements are more commonly used in production software, while switch statements are less frequent and can sometimes lead to unintended consequences and hard-to-find bugs.
In summary, if-else statements are generally used for simpler conditions and two options, while switch statements are used for more complex conditions and multiple options. If-else statements can handle various datatypes and expressions, while switch statements are limited to integers and character expressions.
Comparative Table: if else vs switch
The main differences between if-else and switch statements are:
| Feature | If-else | Switch |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The if-else statement executes a different set of statements based on the condition being true or false. | The switch statement contains multiple cases or choices, and the user decides which case is to be executed. |
| Expression | It contains either logical or equality expressions. | It contains a single expression, either a character or integer variable. |
| Evaluation | It evaluates all types of data, such as integer, floating-point, character, or boolean. | It evaluates either an integer, character, or enumerated value. |
| Use | If-else evaluates a condition to be true or false. | A switch statement compares the value of the variable with multiple cases. |
| Speed | A switch statement might be faster than if-else if the number of cases is large enough. | If there are only a few cases, the difference in speed might not be significant. |
| Readability | Nested if-else statements can be hard to read. | It is easier to read and understand. |
In summary, if-else statements are better suited for evaluating conditions with two options and multiple expressions, while switch statements are better for selecting among numerous options based on a single expression. If-else statements are typically used for variable conditions that result in a boolean value, whereas switch statements are used for fixed data values.