05-switch-statements.md

A switch consists of one or many cases that are checked against a supplied value. Much like a series of if statements a switch can include a default that is used when the supplied value does not match any case.

In the example the printed string would say This fruit is a pear as the variable $fruit has the value of pear.

If the supplied $fruit does not match any of the case conditions then the output would be The fruit cannot be found.

$fruit = 'pear';

switch ($fruit) {
    case 'apple':
        echo "This fruit is an Apple";
    break;
    case 'pear':
        echo "This fruit is a pear";
    break;
    case 'orange':
        echo "This fruit is an orange";
    break;
    default:
        echo "The fruit cannot be found";
}

This example can also be written using a series of if/if else/else statements.

if ($fruit === 'apple') {
    echo "This fruit is an Apple";
} elseif ($fruit === 'pear') {
    echo "This fruit is a pear";
} elseif ($fruit === 'orange') {
    echo "This fruit is an orange";
} else {
    echo "The fruit cannot be found";
}

Switch cases can be grouped together.

In the below example below the output would be This food is a meat as $food has the value of beef burger.

If $food had the value of apple or pear or orange then the output would be This food is a fruit

$food = 'beef burger';

switch ($food) {
    case 'apple':
    case 'pear':
    case 'orange':
        echo "This food is a fruit";
    break;
    case 'beef burger': 
       echo "This food is a meat";
    break;
    default:
        echo "The fruit cannot be found";
}

The equivalent if statement would look like this

if ($food === 'apple' || $food === 'pear' || $food === 'orange') {
    echo "This food is a fruit";
} elseif ($food === 'beef burger')  {
    echo "This food is a meat";
} else {
    echo "The fruit cannot be found";
}