label

A labeled statement is any statement that is prefixed with an identifier. You can jump to this label using a break or continue statement nested within the labeled statement.

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Syntax

js

label:
  statement
label

Any JavaScript identifier that is not a reserved word.

statement

A JavaScript statement. break can be used within any labeled statement, and continue can be used within labeled looping statements.

Description

You can use a label to identify a statement, and later refer to it using a break or continue statement. Note that JavaScript has no goto statement; you can only use labels with break or continue.

Any break or continue that references label must be contained within the statement that's labeled by label. Think about label as a variable that's only available in the scope of statement.

If a break label; statement is encountered when executing statement, execution of statement terminates, and execution continues at the statement immediately following the labeled statement.

continue label; can only be used if statement is one of the looping statements. If a continue label; statement is encountered when executing statement, execution of statement continues at the next iteration of the loop. continue; without a label can only continue the innermost loop, while continue label; allows continuing any given loop even when the statement is nested within other loops.

A statement can have multiple labels. In this case, the labels are all functionally equivalent.

Examples

Using a labeled continue with for loops

js

// The first for statement is labeled "loop1"
loop1: for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
  // The second for statement is labeled "loop2"
  loop2: for (let j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
    if (i === 1 && j === 1) {
      continue loop1;
    }
    console.log(`i = ${i}, j = ${j}`);
  }
}

// Logs:
// i = 0, j = 0
// i = 0, j = 1
// i = 0, j = 2
// i = 1, j = 0
// i = 2, j = 0
// i = 2, j = 1
// i = 2, j = 2

Notice how it skips both "i = 1, j = 1" and "i = 1, j = 2".

Using a labeled break with for loops

js

let i, j;

// The first for statement is labeled "loop1"
loop1: for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
  // The second for statement is labeled "loop2"
  loop2: for (j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
    if (i === 1 && j === 1) {
      break loop1;
    }
    console.log(`i = ${i}, j = ${j}`);
  }
}

// Logs:
// i = 0, j = 0
// i = 0, j = 1
// i = 0, j = 2
// i = 1, j = 0

Notice the difference with the previous continue example: when break loop1 is encountered, the execution of the outer loop is terminated, so there are no further logs beyond "i = 1, j = 0"; when continue loop1 is encountered, the execution of the outer loop continues at the next iteration, so only "i = 1, j = 1" and "i = 1, j = 2" are skipped.

Using a labeled continue statement

Given an array of items and an array of tests, this example counts the number of items that pass all the tests.

js

// Numbers from 1 to 100
const items = Array.from({ length: 100 }, (_, i) => i + 1));
const tests = [
  { pass: (item) => item % 2 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 3 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 5 === 0 },
];
let itemsPassed = 0;

itemIteration: for (const item of items) {
  for (const test of tests) {
    if (!test.pass(item)) {
      continue itemIteration;
    }
  }

  itemsPassed++;
}

Note how the continue itemIteration; statement skips the rest of the tests for the current item as well as the statement that updates the itemsPassed counter, and continues with the next item. If you don't use a label, you would need to use a boolean flag instead.

js

// Numbers from 1 to 100
const items = Array.from({ length: 100 }, (_, i) => i + 1));
const tests = [
  { pass: (item) => item % 2 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 3 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 5 === 0 },
];
let itemsPassed = 0;

for (const item of items) {
  let passed = true;
  for (const test of tests) {
    if (!test.pass(item)) {
      passed = false;
      break;
    }
  }
  if (passed) {
    itemsPassed++;
  }
}

Using a labeled break statement

Given an array of items and an array of tests, this example determines whether all items pass all tests.

js

// Numbers from 1 to 100
const items = Array.from({ length: 100 }, (_, i) => i + 1));
const tests = [
  { pass: (item) => item % 2 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 3 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 5 === 0 },
];
let allPass = true;

itemIteration: for (const item of items) {
  for (const test of tests) {
    if (!test.pass(item)) {
      allPass = false;
      break itemIteration;
    }
  }
}

Again, if you don't use a label, you would need to use a boolean flag instead.

js

// Numbers from 1 to 100
const items = Array.from({ length: 100 }, (_, i) => i + 1));
const tests = [
  { pass: (item) => item % 2 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 3 === 0 },
  { pass: (item) => item % 5 === 0 },
];
let allPass = true;

for (const item of items) {
  let passed = true;
  for (const test of tests) {
    if (!test.pass(item)) {
      passed = false;
      break;
    }
  }
  if (!passed) {
    allPass = false;
    break;
  }
}

Using a labeled block with break

You can label statements other than loops, such as simple blocks, but only break statements can reference non-loop labels.

js

foo: {
  console.log("face");
  break foo;
  console.log("this will not be executed");
}
console.log("swap");

// Logs:
// "face"
// "swap"

Labeled function declarations

Labels can only be applied to statements, not declarations. There is a legacy grammar that allows function declarations to be labeled in non-strict code:

js

L: function F() {}

In strict mode code, however, this will throw a SyntaxError:

js

"use strict";
L: function F() {}
// SyntaxError: functions cannot be labelled

Non-plain functions, such as generator functions and async functions can neither be labeled in strict code, nor in non-strict code:

js

L: function* F() {}
// SyntaxError: generator functions cannot be labelled

The labeled function declaration syntax is deprecated and you should not use it, even in non-strict code. You cannot actually jump to this label within the function body.

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript Language Specification
# sec-labelled-statements

Browser compatibility

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See also