for Loop

The for loop is used to repeat a block of code a specific number of times. It is particularly useful when you know the exact number of iterations beforehand. A for loop includes initialization, a termination condition, and an update statement all in one line, making it a concise choice for counting loops.

Syntax of for Loop

for (initialization; condition; update) {
    // Code to execute
}

• Initialization: Sets up a loop control variable (usually a counter), executed only once at the beginning of the loop.
• Condition: A boolean expression evaluated before each iteration. If true, the loop continues; if false, the loop stops.
• Update: Changes the loop control variable after each iteration, often incrementing or decrementing the counter.

Example of a for Loop

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    System.out.println("Count is: " + i);
}

In this example, i starts at 0 and increments by 1 after each iteration. The loop continues while i < 5, so it prints numbers from 0 to 4.

Key Points about for Loop

• Compact Structure: Initialization, condition, and update are all in one line, making the loop easy to manage for counting.
• Flexible Usage: Commonly used for loops where you know the number of iterations in advance, like iterating through a range of numbers.

Enhanced for Loop (For-Each Loop) – Iterating Over Arrays and Collections

The Enhanced for loop, or For-Each loop, is designed for iterating through elements in an array or any Collection (like lists, sets, etc.) without using an explicit counter. It provides a clean and readable way to access each element directly, particularly when you don’t need to modify the index or control variable.

Syntax of Enhanced for Loop

for (elementType element : collection) {
    // Code to execute with element
}

• elementType: The data type of elements in the collection or array.
• element: A temporary variable representing each element in the array or collection during the iteration.
• collection: The array or Collection to iterate through.

Example of an Enhanced for Loop with an Array

int[] numbers = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
for (int num : numbers) {
    System.out.println("Number is: " + num);
}

In this example, each element in the numbers array is stored in num as the loop iterates, printing each number from 1 to 5.

Key Points about Enhanced for Loop

• Simplicity: It simplifies code by removing the need to manually manage an index variable.
• Readability: Especially useful when iterating through arrays or collections without modifying them or needing index positions.
• Limitations: Does not allow for index-based operations, so it isn’t ideal if you need to modify elements or skip specific elements based on conditions.

Comparison of for Loop and Enhanced for Loop