Break and continue with labels

Labels extend break and continue to work with nested loops. A label is an identifier followed by a colon (:).

break with label

Exits the labeled block (not just the innermost loop).

outerLoop:
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
    System.out.println("Outer " + i);
    for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
        if (i == 1 && j == 1) {
            break outerLoop;   // exits outerLoop completely
        }
        System.out.println("  Inner " + j);
    }
}

continue with label

Skips the current iteration of the labeled loop and continues with the next iteration of that loop.

outer:
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
    for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
        if (j == 1) {
            continue outer;   // goes to next i, skipping remaining j
        }
        System.out.println("i=" + i + ", j=" + j);
    }
}

Labeled blocks (not just loops)

You can label any block and use break to exit it.

block:
{
    int x = 10;
    if (x > 5) {
        break block;
    }
    System.out.println("This won't print");
}
System.out.println("After block");

Important: Labels must be placed before the statement (loop or block) they refer to. Cannot break or continue to a label that is not enclosing the current statement.