C – Loops

Last Updated : 10 Jan, 2025

Loops in programming are used to repeat a block of code until the specified condition is met. A loop statement
allows programmers to execute a statement or group of statements multiple times without repetition of code.

// C program to illustrate need of loops

int main()
{
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");
printf( "Hello World\n");

return 0;
}

Output

Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World

There are mainly two types of loops in C Programming:

1. Entry Controlled loops: In Entry controlled loops the test condition is checked before entering the main body
of the loop. For Loop and While Loop is Entry-controlled loops.
2. Exit Controlled loops: In Exit controlled loops the test condition is evaluated at the end of the loop body. The
loop body will execute at least once, irrespective of whether the condition is true or false. do-while Loop is
Exit Controlled loop.
 Loop Type Description

for loop first Initializes, then condition check, then executes the body and at last, the update is done.

first Initializes, then condition checks, and then executes the body, and updating can be inside the
while loop
body.

do-while
do-while first executes the body and then the condition check is done.
loop

for Loop
for loop in C programming is a repetition control structure that allows programmers to write a loop that will be
executed a specific number of times. for loop enables programmers to perform n number of steps together in a
single line.

Syntax:

for (initialize expression; test expression; update expression)

Example:

for(int i = 0; i < n; ++i)

In for loop, a loop variable is used to control the loop. Firstly we initialize the loop variable with some value, then
check its test condition. If the statement is true then control will move to the body and the body of for loop will be
executed. Steps will be repeated till the exit condition becomes true. If the test condition will be false then it will
stop.

Initialization Expression: In this expression, we assign a loop variable or loop counter to some value. for
example: int i=1;
Test Expression: In this expression, test conditions are performed. If the condition evaluates to true then the
loop body will be executed and then an update of the loop variable is done. If the test expression becomes false
then the control will exit from the loop. for example, i<=9;
Update Expression: After execution of the loop body loop variable is updated by some value it could be
incremented, decremented, multiplied, or divided by any value.

for loop Equivalent Flow Diagram:

Example:

// C program to illustrate for loop

// Driver code
int main()
{
int i = 0;

for (i = 1; i <= 10; i++)

Output

Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
 Hello World
Hello World
Hello World

While Loop
While loop does not depend upon the number of iterations. In for loop the number of iterations was previously
known to us but in the While loop, the execution is terminated on the basis of the test condition. If the test
condition will become false then it will break from the while loop else body will be executed.

Syntax:

initialization_expression;

while (test_expression)
{
// body of the while loop

update_expression;
}

Flow Diagram for while loop:

// C program to illustrate
// while loop
#include <stdio.h>

// Driver code
int main()
{
// Initialization expression
int i = 2;

// Test expression
while(i < 10)
{
// loop body
printf( "Hello World\n");

// update expression
i++;
}
 return 0;
}

Output

Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World
Hello World

do-while Loop
The do-while loop is similar to a while loop but the only difference lies in the do-while loop test condition which
is tested at the end of the body. In the do-while loop, the loop body will execute at least once irrespective of the
test condition.

Syntax:

initialization_expression;
do
{
// body of do-while loop

update_expression;

} while (test_expression);

// C program to illustrate
// do-while loop
#include <stdio.h>

// Driver code
 int main()
{
// Initialization expression
int i = 2;

do
{
// loop body
printf( "Hello World\n");

// Update expression
i++;

// Test expression
} while (i < 1);

return 0;
}

Output

Hello World

Above program will evaluate (i<1) as false since i = 2. But still, as it is a do-while loop the body will be executed
once.

Loop Control Statements

Name Description

break the break statement is used to terminate the switch and loop statement. It transfers the execution to
statement the statement immediately following the loop or switch.

continue continue statement skips the remainder body and immediately resets its condition before
statement reiterating it.

goto statement goto statement transfers the control to the labeled statement.