(Image taken from https://xkcd.com/)
The goto statement in C++ (and many other languages) is generally considered bad programming practice. Here are some reasons why:
- Breaks Structured Programming Principles: Modern C++ embraces structured programming, which focuses on control structures like sequences, selections (if-else, switch), and iterations (loops).
gotodisrupts this flow, leading to a tangled mess of jumps that are difficult to reason about. - Reduced Readability and Maintainability (Spaghetti Code): Excessive use of
gotocan lead to “spaghetti code,” where the program’s flow is difficult to trace, making the code harder to understand, debug, and maintain. Spaghetti Code: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering/spaghetti-code/ - Increased Complexity: The ability to jump to anywhere within a function using
gotocan drastically increase the complexity of the code, making it difficult for humans to mentally model the program’s execution. - Potential for Undefined Behavior and Bugs: Careless use of
gotocan lead to undefined behavior, especially when jumping into the middle of a variable’s scope, potentially skipping initialization or destructor calls. - Difficulty with Optimization: Unstructured jumps caused by
gotocan make it harder for compilers to optimize the code effectively. - Better Alternatives Exist: Most situations where a
gotomight seem tempting can be handled more elegantly using C++’s standard control structures, likefor,while,if-else,switch,break,continue, and exceptions.
Take a look at this Stack Overflow post that shows a student’s program that used goto: https://cplusplus.com/forum/beginner/210844/
