Switch Case vs. If-Else in JavaScript Explained

Q: What is the key difference between switch case vs. if-else statements in JavaScript?

If-else statements involving branching conditions under if and else statements. The code executes the if statement if a given condition is met, otherwise it executes the else statement. Here’s how the syntax looks: if (condition1) { //Body of if } else if (condition2) { //Body of if } else if (condition3) { //Body of if } else { //default if all conditions return false } In switch case, the expression in the switch statement decides which case to execute along with a break statement after each case. This allows the compiler to execute only the code in which the case condition is met, making it a more streamlined version of if-else. The syntax looks like this: switch ( variable ) { case <variable value1>: //Do Something break; case <variable value2>://Do Something break; default: //Default will perform if all case’s fail break; }

In JavaScript, the switch case and if-else statement provide two different ways to write a conditional statement. The switch case is used to test the value of the given variable against a list of case values to determine which code block to run. The if-else statement nests conditions under if and else statements that determine which code to execute. It can be difficult to determine which one to use.

Switch Case vs. If-Else Statements in JavaScript Explained

Switch case: Switch case allows conditions to be separated into different case blocks. The expression inside the switch statement decides what to execute.
If-else statements: If-else statements nest conditions under if and else statements. The condition in the if statement determines whether to execute code under the if block or the else block.

However, a switch statement is usually more efficient than a set of nested ifs. When you have to choose which one to use, it’s best to decide based on readability and the expression that the statement is testing.

Differences Between Switch Case vs. If-Else

The expression inside of an if statement decides whether to execute the statements inside the if block or the else block. For switch, the expression inside the switch statement decides which case to execute.
The if-else statement checks for equality as well as for logical expression. On the other hand, switch checks only for equality.
The if statement evaluates integer, character, pointer or floating-point type or boolean type. The switch statement evaluates only character or an integer datatype.
In if-else statements, the if statement determines whether the statement under the if block will execute or the statement under else block statement will execute. However, the expression in the switch statement decides which case to execute, however, if you don’t apply a break statement after each case, it will execute until the end of switch statement.
For an if-else statement, if the expression inside of the if turns out to be false, the statement inside of the else block will be executed. For the switch statement, if the expression inside of the switch statement turns out to be false, then the default statements are executed.
It can be difficult to edit if-else statements since it’s tedious to trace where the correction is required. Many people agree that it’s much simpler to edit switch statements since they’re easy to trace.

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Switch Case vs. If-Else Syntax

This is the general syntax of an if-else statement:

if (condition1) { //Body of if }
else if (condition2) { //Body of if }
else if (condition3) { //Body of if }
else { //default if all conditions return false }

And this is the general syntax for switch:

switch ( variable )
{
case <variable value1>: //Do Something
break;
case <variable value2>://Do Something
break;
default: //Default will perform if all case’s fail
break;
}

The if-else ladder is of type strict condition check, while switch is of type jump value catching.

A tutorial on when to use switch case vs. if-else in JavaScript. | Video: Ijemma Onwuzulike

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Advantages of Switch Case vs. If-Else

A switch statement works much faster than the equivalent if-else ladder because the compiler generates a jump table for a switch during compilation. During execution, instead of checking which case is satisfied, it only decides which case has to be executed.
A switch case statement is more readable compared to if-else statements.

In the end, the choice is yours and I hope this blog helps lead you in the right path to making the most informed decision when to use an if-else statement verses a switch case!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is switch better than if-else in JavaScript?

Switch case is considered faster and more readable than nested if-else statements. If-else statements require the compiler to check each statement to determine if a condition is met. Switch case is more efficient because it allows the compiler to determine only which case has to be executed.

What is the key difference between switch case vs. if-else statements in JavaScript?

If-else statements involving branching conditions under if and else statements. The code executes the if statement if a given condition is met, otherwise it executes the else statement. Here’s how the syntax looks:

if (condition1) { //Body of if }
else if (condition2) { //Body of if }
else if (condition3) { //Body of if }
else { //default if all conditions return false }

In switch case, the expression in the switch statement decides which case to execute along with a break statement after each case. This allows the compiler to execute only the code in which the case condition is met, making it a more streamlined version of if-else. The syntax looks like this:

switch ( variable )
{
case <variable value1>: //Do Something
break;
case <variable value2>://Do Something
break;
default: //Default will perform if all case’s fail
break;
}