Loops in programming are used to execute a block of code repeatedly based on a condition. This helps automate tasks and avoid writing the same code multiple times. There are three main types of loops: for, while, and do-while. Each has a specific use case depending on the situation.

for:

The for loop is typically used when the number of times the loop should run is known beforehand. It has three parts: initialization, condition, and increment/decrement. For example, for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) runs the loop five times, from i = 0 to i < 5.

while:

The while loop checks the condition first, and if it’s true, it runs the loop block. It continues looping as long as the condition remains true. It is used when the number of repetitions is not fixed, and depends on a condition that may change during runtime. For example, while (i < 5) will keep executing as long as i is less than 5.

do-while:

The do-while loop is similar to the while loop, but it guarantees that the loop body runs at least once. This is because the condition is checked after the loop block has executed. For example, do { … } while (i < 5).

All loops should have proper conditions and updates to avoid infinite loops, which happen when the condition never becomes false. Loops are essential in many programming scenarios like iterating over arrays, handling user inputs, or running calculations multiple times.

Using loop counters like i, j, etc., helps track the number of iterations and control the flow. Nested loops (a loop inside another loop) are also used for multi-dimensional tasks like matrix operations. Proper use of loops makes your code shorter, cleaner, and more efficient.