Should I avoid using Java Label Statements?

Question

Today I had a coworker suggest I refactor my code to use a label statement to control flow through 2 nested for loops I had created. I\'ve never used them before because per

Answer 1

I have use a Java labeled loop for an implementation of a Sieve method to find prime numbers (done for one of the project Euler math problems) which made it 10x faster compared to nested loops. Eg if(certain condition) go back to outer loop.

private static void testByFactoring() {
    primes: for (int ctr = 0; ctr < m_toFactor.length; ctr++) {
        int toTest = m_toFactor[ctr];
        for (int ctr2 = 0; ctr2 < m_divisors.length; ctr2++) {
            // max (int) Math.sqrt(m_numberToTest) + 1 iterations
            if (toTest != m_divisors[ctr2]
                        && toTest % m_divisors[ctr2] == 0) {
                continue primes; 
            }
        } // end of the divisor loop
    } // end of primes loop
} // method

I asked a C++ programmer how bad labeled loops are, he said he would use them sparingly, but they can occasionally come in handy. For example, if you have 3 nested loops and for certain conditions you want to go back to the outermost loop.

So they have their uses, it depends on the problem you were trying to solve.

Answer 2

I've never seen labels used "in the wild" in Java code. If you really want to break across nested loops, see if you can refactor your method so that an early return statement does what you want.

Technically, I guess there's not much difference between an early return and a label. Practically, though, almost every Java developer has seen an early return and knows what it does. I'd guess many developers would at least be surprised by a label, and probably be confused.

I was taught the single entry / single exit orthodoxy in school, but I've since come to appreciate early return statements and breaking out of loops as a way to simplify code and make it clearer.

Answer 3

I'm curious to hear what your alternative to labels is. I think this is pretty much going to boil down to the argument of "return as early as possible" vs. "use a variable to hold the return value, and only return at the end."

Labels are pretty standard when you have nested loops. The only way they really decrease readability is when another developer has never seen them before and doesn't understand what they mean.

Answer 4

I found labels to be sometimes useful in tests, to separate the usual setup, excercise and verify phases and group related statements. For example, using the BDD terminology:

@Test
public void should_Clear_Cached_Element() throws Exception {
    given: {
        elementStream = defaultStream();
        elementStream.readElement();
        Assume.assumeNotNull(elementStream.lastRead());
    }
    when:
        elementStream.clearLast();
    then:
        assertThat(elementStream.lastRead()).isEmpty();
}

Your formatting choices may vary but the core idea is that labels, in this case, provide a noticeable distinction between the logical sections comprising your test, better than comments can. I think the Spock library just builds on this very feature to declare its test phases.

Answer 5

I'd argue in favour of them in some locations, I found them particularly useful in this example:

nextItem: for(CartItem item : user.getCart()) {

  nextCondition : for(PurchaseCondition cond : item.getConditions()) {
     if(!cond.check())
        continue nextItem;
     else
        continue nextCondition;

  }
  purchasedItems.add(item);
}

Answer 6

I never use labels in my code. I prefer to create a guard and initialize it to null or other unusual value. This guard is often a result object. I haven't seen any of my coworkers using labels, nor found any in our repository. It really depends on your style of coding. In my opinion using labels would decrease the readability as it's not a common construct and usually it's not used in Java.