C - for vs While loop

for loops are often preferred when you have a fixed number of iterations and want a more concise loop structure. while loops are more flexible and are preferred when you need to control the loop based on a condition that may not be tied to a fixed number of iterations.

Here's a comparison of for and while loops:

for vs while loop
Aspect for Loop while Loop
Initialization Initialization of loop control variable is done in the loop header. Initialization of loop control variable is done before the loop.
Condition Check The loop condition is checked in the loop header. The loop condition is checked at the beginning of each iteration.
Loop Control Variable Update Loop control variable update is done in the loop header. Loop control variable update is done manually inside the loop body.
Preferred in Often preferred when the number of iterations is known and finite, or when you want concise loop control. Preferred when the number of iterations is unknown or when loop control is more complex.
Usual Use Cases Commonly used in cases where you know the exact number of iterations, like iterating over arrays. Used when the exact number of iterations is not known in advance, or when you need more complex control over loop flow.
Example Termination may occur before the first iteration. Termination guaranteed after at least one iteration.
Preferred in for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { // Code } int i = 0; while (i < 5) { // Code i++; }

Both for and while loops have their use cases. for loops are often used when you have a clear count of iterations, while while loops are more flexible and used when you need to control the loop based on a condition that may not be tied to a fixed count of iterations.