Goto

Goto is a statement found in many computer programming languages. It performs a one-way transfer of control to another line of code; in contrast a function call normally returns control. The jumped-to locations are usually identified using labels, though some languages use line numbers. At the machine code level, a goto is a form of branch or jump statement, in some cases combined with a stack adjustment. Many languages support the goto statement, and many do not (see § language support).

The structured program theorem proved that the goto statement is not necessary to write programs that can be expressed as flow charts; some combination of the three programming constructs of sequence, selection/choice, and repetition/iteration are sufficient for any computation that can be performed by a Turing machine, with the caveat that code duplication and additional variables may need to be introduced.^[1]

The use of goto was formerly common, but since the advent of structured programming in the 1960s and 1970s, its use has declined significantly. It remains in use in certain common usage patterns, but alternatives are generally used if available. In the past, there was considerable debate in academia and industry on the merits of the use of goto statements. The primary criticism is that code that uses goto statements is harder to understand than alternative constructions. Debates over its (more limited) uses continue in academia and software industry circles.