PHP Loops Tutorial

1. For Loop

The for loop is used when you know how many times you want to execute a statement or a block of statements. It consists of three parts: initialization, condition, and increment/decrement.

<?php
for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++) {
    echo "The number is: " . $i . "<br>";
}
?>

This example will output:

The number is: 0
The number is: 1
The number is: 2
The number is: 3
The number is: 4

2. While Loop

The while loop executes a block of code as long as a specified condition is true. The condition is checked before the execution of the loop body.

<?php
$i = 0;
while ($i < 5) {
    echo "The number is: " . $i . "<br>";
    $i++;
}
?>

This example will output the same as the for loop:

The number is: 0
The number is: 1
The number is: 2
The number is: 3
The number is: 4

3. Do-While Loop

The do-while loop is similar to the while loop, except that the condition is checked after the execution of the loop body. This guarantees that the loop will execute at least once.

<?php
$i = 0;
do {
    echo "The number is: " . $i . "<br>";
    $i++;
} while ($i < 5);
?>

This example also produces the same output:

The number is: 0
The number is: 1
The number is: 2
The number is: 3
The number is: 4

4. Foreach Loop

The foreach loop is specifically designed for iterating over arrays. It simplifies the process of accessing each element in an array.

<?php
$array = array("Apple", "Banana", "Cherry");
foreach ($array as $fruit) {
    echo "Fruit: " . $fruit . "<br>";
}
?>

This example will output:

Fruit: Apple
Fruit: Banana
Fruit: Cherry

5. Break and Continue Statements

You can control the flow of loops using break and continue statements:

• Break: Exits the loop entirely.
• Continue: Skips the current iteration and moves to the next one.

<?php
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
    if ($i == 5) {
        break; // Exit the loop when $i is 5
    }
    echo "The number is: " . $i . "<br>";
}
?>

This will output:

The number is: 0
The number is: 1
The number is: 2
The number is: 3
The number is: 4

<?php
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
    if ($i == 5) {
        continue; // Skip the current iteration when $i is 5
    }
    echo "The number is: " . $i . "<br>";
}
?>

This will output:

The number is: 0
The number is: 1
The number is: 2
The number is: 3
The number is: 4
The number is: 6
The number is: 7
The number is: 8
The number is: 9

6. Conclusion

Loops are a powerful feature in PHP that allows for efficient iteration over data structures. Understanding the various types of loops and their applications can significantly improve your coding efficiency.