What's the purpose of conditional statements in programming languages?

Conditional statements in programming languages are used to perform different computations or actions depending on whether a specified boolean condition evaluates to true or false.

In more detail, conditional statements, also known as conditional constructs or decision-making statements, are fundamental to programming. They allow the flow of the program to be controlled by conditions that are evaluated during runtime. This means that the execution of certain sections of code can be controlled based on the outcome of these conditions.

The most common types of conditional statements are 'if', 'if-else', and 'switch'. The 'if' statement is used to specify a block of code to be executed if a condition is true. The 'if-else' statement adds an alternative block of code that is executed if the condition is false. The 'switch' statement allows a variable to be tested for equality against a list of values, each associated with a block of code to be executed if the condition is met.

For example, in a weather application, an 'if' statement could be used to display different messages based on the temperature. If the temperature is above 30 degrees, the program could display "It's a hot day", but if it's below, it could display "It's a cool day". This decision-making process is made possible by the use of conditional statements.

Conditional statements are not just limited to simple true or false conditions. They can also be combined using logical operators like AND, OR, and NOT to form more complex conditions. This allows programmers to create sophisticated programs that can make decisions and perform different actions based on a wide range of scenarios.

In conclusion, conditional statements are a powerful tool in programming, enabling the creation of dynamic and interactive applications. Without them, programs would be static and incapable of responding to different inputs or situations.