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Explain the control structures used in PHP, including if-else statements, loops, and switch statements.



In PHP, control structures are used to control the flow of execution in a program. They allow for making decisions, repeating actions, and switching between different cases based on specific conditions. Let's explore the three main control structures in PHP: if-else statements, loops, and switch statements.

1. If-else Statements:

* If-else statements allow you to execute different blocks of code based on specific conditions.
* Syntax:
```
php`if (condition) {
// Code to execute if condition is true
} else {
// Code to execute if condition is false
}`
```
* Example:
```
php`$age = 20;

if ($age >= 18) {
echo "You are an adult.";
} else {
echo "You are a minor.";
}`
```
* In the above example, if the condition `$age >= 18` is true, the code within the first block is executed. Otherwise, the code within the else block is executed.
2. Loops:

* Loops allow for repetitive execution of a block of code until a specified condition is met.
* There are several types of loops in PHP, including for, while, do-while, and foreach loops.
* Syntax:
+ For Loop:
```
php`for (initialization; condition; increment/decrement) {
// Code to execute repeatedly
}`
```
+ While Loop:
```
php`while (condition) {
// Code to execute repeatedly
}`
```
+ Do-While Loop:
```
php`do {
// Code to execute repeatedly
} while (condition);`
```
+ Foreach Loop (for iterating over arrays):
```
php`foreach ($array as $value) {
// Code to execute for each value in the array
}`
```
* Example (for loop):
```
php`for ($i = 1; $i <= 5; $i++) {
echo $i . " ";
}`
```
* The above example prints numbers from 1 to 5 by incrementing the variable `$i` in each iteration.
3. Switch Statements:

* Switch statements provide a way to select one of many blocks of code to be executed based on different cases.
* Syntax:
```
php`switch (expression) {
case value1:
// Code to execute if expression matches value1
break;
case value2:
// Code to execute if expression matches value2
break;
// ... more cases ...
default:
// Code to execute if expression does not match any case
break;
}`
```
* Example:
```
php`$day = "Monday";

switch ($day) {
case "Monday":
echo "Today is Monday.";
break;
case "Tuesday":
echo "Today is Tuesday.";
break;
// ... more cases ...
default:
echo "Today is not a weekday.";
break;
}`
```
* In the above example, the code within the case that matches the value of `$day` is executed. If no case matches, the code within the default block is executed.

These control structures in PHP provide powerful ways to control the flow of execution in your programs. They allow for making decisions, repeating actions, and handling different cases based on specific conditions, enabling you to create more dynamic and versatile applications.