C# Tutorial 4.2: Switch Statement

 The switch statement in C# provides a way to handle multiple conditions based on the value of an expression. It's a cleaner alternative to using multiple if-else if statements when you have several possible values to compare. Let's dive into the syntax and usage of the switch statement.

1. Basic Syntax:

using System;

class Program

{

    static void Main()

    {

        // Example: Switch statement to check the day of the week

        string dayOfWeek = "Monday";

        switch (dayOfWeek)

        {

            case "Monday":

                Console.WriteLine("It's the start of the week!");

                break;

            case "Friday":

                Console.WriteLine("TGIF! It's Friday!");

                break;

            case "Saturday":

            case "Sunday":

                Console.WriteLine("It's the weekend!");

                break;

            default:

                Console.WriteLine("It's a regular weekday.");

                break;

        }

    }

}

In this example:

• The switch statement evaluates the value of dayOfWeek.
• Each case represents a possible value for dayOfWeek.
• If a match is found, the corresponding block of code executes.
• The break statement exits the switch block. If omitted, execution will continue to the next case.

2. Switch Statement Features:

• Fall-Through: Unlike some other languages, C# switch cases fall through by default. In the example, if dayOfWeek is "Saturday," it falls through to the "Sunday" case.

• Multiple Case Values: You can combine cases if you want the same block of code to execute for multiple values.

3. Switch Expression (C# 8.0 and later):

Starting from C# 8.0, you can use switch expressions, which are more concise and allow for more expressive code:

using System;

class Program

{

    static void Main()

    {

        // Example: Switch expression to check the day of the week

        string dayOfWeek = "Monday";

        string result = dayOfWeek switch

        {

            "Monday" => "It's the start of the week!",

            "Friday" => "TGIF! It's Friday!",

            "Saturday" or "Sunday" => "It's the weekend!",

            _ => "It's a regular weekday.",

        };

        Console.WriteLine(result);

    }

}

Here, the switch expression assigns the result directly to a variable (result) without the need for a separate statement. The _ serves as a wildcard for unmatched cases.

4. Run the Program:

Press F5 or click the "Start Debugging" button to build and run your program. You should see the output based on the value of dayOfWeek.

5. Experiment:

• Modify the value of dayOfWeek and observe how the switch statement handles different cases.
• Try adding more cases and experimenting with fall-through behavior.

Congratulations! You've learned how to use the switch statement in C#. In the next tutorial, we'll explore functions and methods.