Unreachable Code Error in Java

Unreachable Code Error in Java

The Unreachable statements refers to statements that won?t get executed during the execution of the program are called Unreachable Statements. These statements might be unreachable because of the following reasons:

• Have a return statement before them
• Have an infinite loop before them

Scenarios where this error can occur:

1. Have a return statement before them: When a return statement gets executed, then that function execution gets stopped right there. Therefore any statement after that wont get executed. This results in unreachable code error.

   Example:

   class dEe {
       public static void main(String args[])
       {
     
           System.out.println("It will be printed");
     
           return;
     
           // it will never run and gives error
           // as unreachable code.
           System.out.println("I want to get printed");
       }
   }

   Compile Errors:

   prog.java:11: error: unreachable statement
   System.out.println(“I want to get printed”);
   ^
   1 error

2. Have an infinite loop before them: Suppose inside “if” statement if you write statements after break statement, then the statements which are written below “break” keyword will never execute because if the condition is false, then the loop will never execute. And if the condition is true, then due to “break” it will never execute, since “break” takes the flow of execution outside the “if” statement.

   Example:

   class GFG {     public static void main(String args[])     {         int a = 2;         for (;;) {                if (a == 2) {                    break;                    // it will never execute, so                 // same error will be there.                 System.out.println("I want to get printed");             }         }     } }

   Compile Errors:

   prog.java:13: error: unreachable statement
   System.out.println(“I want to get printed”);
   ^
   1 error