# 2.5: Switch Statements

In this module we'll study a type of conditional called a `Switch`.

## File Location

1. Right click on the solution you made in the first module
2. Go to **Add > New Project** and select **Console App (.NET Framework)**
3. Name it `0.02_Switches`
4. Write your code for this module within `Program.cs` of that project 

## Switch Case

Let's start with an example of a switch case:

```csharp
 class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("What's your name?"); //1
            string inputName = Console.ReadLine().ToLower(); //2
            //3
            switch (inputName)
            {
                case "fred":
                    Console.WriteLine("Hey Fred, let's go golfing.");
                    break;
                case "karl":
                    Console.WriteLine("Let's hang.");
                    break;
                case "john":
                    Console.WriteLine("Sorry, I'm busy right now.");
                    break;
                default:
                    Console.WriteLine("Hey " + inputName + ", can I call you back in a minute?");
                    break;
            }
        }
    }
```

## Discussion

1. In the example above, we ask the user their name
2. We store that name as `inputName`.  To standardize the input, we use `.ToLower()`to convert the user's input to lowercase. 
3. We then use a `switch case` to go through the different values of `inputName` and have the console print the different outcomes. First, the program looks for fred, then karl, then john, and then has a case for none of those options, the default case.
4. If 'fred' is the name entered, the program will run the expression in that case, and then it will stop.  

## Practice Challenge

Try making a switch case describing outputs for your different friends.

## Practice Answer

Your switch would look something like this:

```csharp
 class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("What's your friend's name?");
            string friend = Console.ReadLine().ToLower();

            switch (friend)
            {       
                case "jay":
                    Console.WriteLine("Scool.");
                    break;
                case "paul":
                    Console.WriteLine("Paul is pretty cool.");
                    break;
                case "kenn":
                    Console.WriteLine("Kenn is pretty cool.");
                    break;
                case "carr":
                    Console.WriteLine("Coolest dude ever");
                    break;
                default:
                    Console.WriteLine($"I don't know {friend}.");
                    break;
            }
        }
    }
```

Feel free to do some more practice with switches, if you need it.

[Next:](/dotnet-101-csharpfundamentals/part-2-boolean-logic-and-conditionals/2.6-ternary-operators.md) Ternary Expressions


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