Discover the Power of Conditional Statements

The If-Else Statement Approach

In programming, conditional statements are essential tools that help us make decisions and execute specific actions based on certain conditions. Let’s start with a simple Java program that uses an if-else statement to determine whether a character is a vowel or consonant.

char ch = 'i';
if (ch == 'a' || ch == 'e' || ch == 'i' || ch == 'o' || ch == 'u') {
    System.out.println("vowel");
} else {
    System.out.println("consonant");
}

The When Statement Advantage

In Kotlin, we can achieve the same result using a when statement, which is similar to a switch case in Java. However, unlike Java, the when statement is an expression that can return and store a value. This makes the code more concise and efficient.

val ch: Char = 'i'
val result = when (ch) {
    'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u' -> "vowel"
    else -> "consonant"
}
println(result)

A Closer Look at the Code

Let’s compare the equivalent Java code to the Kotlin example. In Java, we use a long if condition to check whether ch is a vowel or consonant. In contrast, the Kotlin when statement provides a more elegant solution that reduces the amount of code needed to achieve the same result.

Unlocking the Potential of Conditional Statements

By mastering conditional statements, you can write more efficient and effective code that makes decisions based on specific conditions. Whether you’re using if-else statements or when statements, the key is to understand how to apply these tools to solve real-world problems.

• If-else statements: useful for simple conditional checks
• When statements: concise and efficient for multiple conditional checks

So, start experimenting with conditional statements today and discover the power they bring to your programming skills!