switch Statement

The switch statement is a cleaner way to compare a single value against multiple possible matches. Instead of writing a long chain of else if statements, you can use switch to make your code more readable.

Basic switch Syntax

int day = 3;

switch (day)
{
    case 1:
        Console.WriteLine("Monday");
        break;
    case 2:
        Console.WriteLine("Tuesday");
        break;
    case 3:
        Console.WriteLine("Wednesday");
        break;
    case 4:
        Console.WriteLine("Thursday");
        break;
    case 5:
        Console.WriteLine("Friday");
        break;
    default:
        Console.WriteLine("Weekend");
        break;
}

The switch expression is evaluated once. Then C# compares it against each case value. When it finds a match, it runs the code under that case. The break statement is important — it tells C# to exit the switch block.

The default case is like the else in an if-else chain. It runs if none of the cases match.

switch with Strings

You can also switch on strings:

string fruit = "mango";

switch (fruit.ToLower())
{
    case "apple":
        Console.WriteLine("Red and crispy.");
        break;
    case "banana":
        Console.WriteLine("Yellow and soft.");
        break;
    case "mango":
        Console.WriteLine("Sweet and tropical.");
        break;
    default:
        Console.WriteLine("Unknown fruit.");
        break;
}

Notice I used ToLower() to make the comparison case-insensitive. This way, whether the user types "Mango", "MANGO", or "mango", it still matches.

Switch Expressions (Modern C#)

Starting with C# 8.0, there is a shorter syntax called switch expressions. They are especially useful when you want to assign a value based on a match:

int score = 85;

string grade = score switch
{
    >= 90 => "A",
    >= 80 => "B",
    >= 70 => "C",
    >= 60 => "D",
    _ => "F"
};

Console.WriteLine($"Grade: {grade}");  // Grade: B

See how much cleaner that is? The _ is the default case (like default in the traditional syntax). Switch expressions are great when you are mapping one value to another.

When to Use switch vs if-else

Use switch when you are comparing one variable against many fixed values. Use if-else when your conditions are more complex or involve different variables. There is no right or wrong — it is about readability.