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So far, if, else, and else if have been the main tools for handling different situations. That works great for checking conditions, ranges, or comparisons.

But sometimes we're not comparing ranges at all — we just want to check one variable against several exact values. For example:

a customer chooses a payment method;
a coffee order has a specific pickup type;
a loyalty member selects a reward tier.

That's where switch statements become useful — they compare one value against multiple exact matches in a cleaner and more organized way.

Structure

switch (variable) {
    case "value1" -> {
        // code
    }

    case "value2" -> {
        // code
    }

    default -> {
        // fallback code
    }
}

Java checks each case one by one until it finds a match.

Example

Main.java


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package com.example;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        String pickupType = "delivery";

        switch (pickupType) {
            case "pickup":
                System.out.println("Your coffee will be ready at the counter");
                break;

            case "delivery":
                System.out.println("Your coffee is on the way");
                break;

            case "dine-in":
                System.out.println("Enjoy your coffee inside the cafe");
                break;

            default:
                System.out.println("Unknown order type");
                break;
        }
    }
}

Java checks pickupType case by case — "pickup" doesn't match, "delivery" does, so it prints "Your coffee is on the way" and the break immediately stops the switch. The default block at the bottom acts like a final else — it only runs when none of the cases match.

Java 14+ — New Switch Syntax

In Java 14 and later, a newer syntax was introduced using the -> arrow:

switch (pickupType) {
    case "pickup" -> System.out.println("Your coffee will be ready at the counter");
    case "delivery" -> System.out.println("Your coffee is on the way");
    case "dine-in" -> System.out.println("Enjoy your coffee inside the cafe");
    default -> System.out.println("Unknown order type");
}

What changed:

no break needed;
uses -> instead of :;
each case is automatically isolated — no fall-through risk;
cleaner and easier to read.

Both versions work the same — the new syntax is just more modern and safer.

A good rule to remember:

Use if / else if for comparisons and ranges;
Use switch when checking one value against many exact options;

Everything was clear?

Thanks for your feedback!

Section 3. Chapter 6

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switch Statements in Java