Core PHP Programming, Third Edition

3.3. The switch Statement

An alternative to if-elseif-else structures is the switch statement, which works on the assumption that you compare a single expression to a set of possible values. Figure 3.3 demonstrates the structure of a switch statement.

Figure 3.3. The switch statement.

switch(root-expression) { case case-expression: default: }

The root expression inside a switch statement is evaluated and then compared to each expression following a case statement. At the end of the list of cases you can put a default statement that works exactly like an else statement; it matches if no other case matches.

Notice that cases don't have curly braces after them. This reveals an important difference between if and switch. When an if block matches ...