c# curly brackets

Question

Hello,

I don't really understand the difference in the usage of the curly brackets (or the lack of) in the two following examples:

1. int x = 8;
int y = 3;

if (x > y)
{
Console.WriteLine("x is greater than y");
}

2. int age = 42;
string msg;
if(age >= 18)
msg = "Welcome";
else
msg = "Sorry";

Console.WriteLine(msg);

When are the curly brackets actually necessary?
Thanks! :)

Answer 1

Sandra,

If you want to execute multiple lines after if or else condition you need to make a block with the help of brackets.

Like

if(age>20)
{
Print("Line 1");
Print("Line 2")
Print("Line 3")
Or other conditions etc
}

If you want to execute only one line after if or else condition you didn't need to make block with brackets

Like

if(age > 20)
Print("Line 1")

But if you make block only for one line there is no effect, so in my opinion make practice to use brackets either you have one line or multiple lines to execute.

Thanks - Salman

Answer 2

Curly brackets are necessary when you need to execute multiple statements in a condition.
If it is just one, you can omit them.

For example:
int y = 10;
int x;

if (y > 10)
x = y;
else
x= y + 10;

// As the statement you to need to
// execute in the if and else is just one,
// you can omit the curly braces.

if (y > 10)
{
x = y;
Console.Write(x);
}
else
x = y + 10;

// In this case, as you have multiple
// statements to execute in the if
// clause, you must use the curly
// braces.

if (y > 10)
x = y;
Console.Write(x);

// Here, Console.Write(x); will run in
// any case, as it is not bound to
// the if clause

if (y > 10)
x = y;

Console.Write(x);
else
x = y + 10;

// As you may imagine, this code
// produces an error, as the else
// statement can't find a previous if
// statement.
// This is because the Console.Write(x);
// isn't being executed in the if, and so it
// breaks the boundary between if and
// else

// You can omit the curly braces in
// almost any conditional instructions

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
Console.WriteLine(i);

while (true)
Console.Read();

do
Console.Read();
while (true);

foreach (int num in myNumArr)
Console.WriteLine(num);

// And so on

Hope I was clear enough

Answer 3

thank you so much!
I really appreciate your help and examples!

Answer 4

You're welcome!

Answer 5

Too bad the “AI friend” doesn’t tell you.