Controlling statements are specific statements that guide a user to specify a program. 

Controlling statements are the primary component of every programming language, including PHP. Control statements in PHP allow a user to determine the behavior of a PHP program under different conditions. 

From changing the flow of execution to determining the execution of statements, control statements are known to perform versatile tasks in PHP. 

You can be an expert in PHP programming or a newbie in the field of Computer Science who has just started learning codes in PHP; learning about control statements is a must.

Therefore, we have curated this blog post to give you a complete and concise understanding of control statements, their syntax, and different types in the PHP program. 

Learn all the nits and grits of control statements in PHP and expand your knowledge boundaries!

Overview of Control Statements in PHP

The control statements in PHP influence the sequence in which statements are executed. These control statements also determine if other statements are being executed in the programing language. 

Using these control statements, developers can influence or modify the behavior of their developed software or program under various conditions. 

For example, a developer can modify a system to behave differently for different users, like sellers and buyers. Control statements give the freedom to developers to make such changes. 

Developers run code with these block statements depending on several conditions. Control statements control the flow of statement execution. They use a colon(:) in the opening brace position and endif; in the place of the closing brace. 

Now that you have learned the overview of control statements in PHP, let’s move on to the types of control statements. 

Types of Control Statements in PHP

There are three types of control statements in the programming language of PHP. They are as follows: 

• Conditional or Selection statements

• Loop or iteration statements

• Jump statements

Let’s dive deep into these controlling statements.

• Conditional or Selection statements

The Conditional statement in PHP is further categorized into two basic types: 

• IF, ELSEIF, and ELSE statements

• SWITCH statements

1. IF, ELSEIF, and ELSE statements

When the case of checking a range of values arises, developers use the if statements. The syntax of if statements look like this:

If (condition) {

code to be executed if true;

} elseif (condition) {

code to be executed if the previous condition is not true and the second condition is true;

} else {

code to be executed in all other cases;

}

• SWITCH statements

The SWITCH statement is much different from the if statement. Developers use switch statements when a specific value comes in the condition rather than a range of values. The syntax of switch statements looks like the following example:

switch (n) {

 case value 1:

code to execute if n= value 1;

break;

case value2:

   code to be executed if n= value 2

break;

…

default

code to be executed if no other cases are satisfied;

}

• Loop Statements

Loop statements make the program more accessible. These control statements in PHP are used when a developer wants to run a piece of code repeated multiple times. 

Instead of repeating the same code lines, they use loop statements and keep the script simple. The loop statements continue running the block of code present in it until they do not identify any fault in the condition. 

Loop statements are further divided into four subtypes. They are as follows:

• While Loop

• Do while Loop

• For Loop

• For each Loop

Let’s see what are the functions of these loop types.

• While Loop

The while loop will continue executing the code block inside it until the provided condition appears true. The syntax looks like this:

while (true condition) {

  the code block required to be executed;

}

• Do while Loop

Unlike the while loop, the do-while loop executes the block code even if the given condition is false. 

It will execute the code once and then continue running it. While the process is running, the provided condition generates the actual value. Let’s check the syntax of the do-while loop:

do {

piece of code that is required to be executed;

} while (true condition);

• For Loop

For loop is incorporated when a developer has already determined the number of repetitions they want to run the chosen code block. 

The conditions are specified as the code block is placed inside that for a loop. You can follow the syntax below:

for (init counter; test counter; increment counter) {

  the chosen code that is required to execute for every iteration;

}

The init counter contains the value of a loop counter, and the test counter specifies the condition for every loop iteration. Now, if the condition is proper, this loop will be running. 

If the condition is false, this loop will come to an end. The developer changes the value of that loop counter in the last increment counter. They can increase or decrease the value of that loop. 

• For Each Loop

These control statements in PHP are used when the developer decides to run the code block for every element in the list or an array. The syntax goes like the following:

foreach ($array as $value) {

code that is required to execute;

}

The value of the present array element for every loop iteration is given to the $value. The array pointer moves by one until the pointer moves to the last element of the array.

• Jump Statements

The jump control statements in PHP are again divided into two parts:

• Break 

• Continue

These two control statements serve distinct functions in developing the correct code. Let’s see what these statements are used for.

• Break 

You must have noticed a ‘break’ in the switch syntax. This statement is used to obstruct the current flow of the loop at particular conditions. They are used in a while, for, for-each, switch, and do-while loop to break the sequence.

• Continue

Unlike the break statement, the continue statement does not break the loop. It skips or breaks the loop only in certain conditions and continues with the next iteration. Hence, the continuity of the loop remains intact in the program. 

While you learn about the control statements, you should also learn that you can write all these codes using a PHP compiler online. 

Wrapping Up

Control statements in PHP enable a developer to change or modify the flow of execution of statements in a system. Moreover, some statements simplify the complex writing of scripts, like the loop statements. 

Use this blog post as your learning guide and become an expert in the PHP programming language.