Loops in PHP – for, while, do…while, and foreach

Loops allow you to execute a block of code multiple times until a specific condition is met. In PHP, we have several types of loops: for, while, do…while, and foreach. Each of them is useful in different scenarios.

For loop

Most often used when the number of repetitions is known.

<?php
for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++) {
    echo "Iteration: $i <br>";
}

While loop

Executes code as long as the condition is true.

<?php
$i = 0;
while ($i < 5) {
    echo "Counter: $i <br>";
    $i++;
}

Do…while loop

Executes the code at least once and then checks the condition.

<?php
$i = 0;
do {
    echo "Counter: $i <br>";
    $i++;
} while ($i < 5);

Foreach loop

Designed for iterating over arrays and objects.

<?php
$fruits = ["apple", "banana", "pear"];

foreach ($fruits as $fruit) {
    echo $fruit . "<br>";
}

$user = ["name" => "John", "age" => 25];

foreach ($user as $key => $value) {
    echo "$key: $value<br>";
}

Break and continue statements

• break – stops the loop
• continue – skips to the next iteration

<?php
for ($i = 1; $i <= 10; $i++) {
    if ($i == 5) continue; // skip 5
    if ($i == 8) break;   // stop at 8
    echo $i . " ";
}

Best practices

1. Avoid infinite loops – always make sure the condition will eventually be met.
2. For large datasets, use foreach – it is the most readable.
3. Use break and continue only when they truly improve logic clarity.