freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/en/02-javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/basic-javascript/replacing-if-else-chains-with-switch.en.md

---
id: 56533eb9ac21ba0edf2244e0
title: Replacing If Else Chains with Switch
challengeType: 1
---

## Description
<section id='description'>
If you have many options to choose from, a <code>switch</code> statement can be easier to write than many chained <code>if</code>/<code>else if</code> statements. The following:
<blockquote>if (val === 1) {<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;answer = "a";<br>} else if (val === 2) {<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;answer = "b";<br>} else {<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;answer = "c";<br>}</blockquote>
can be replaced with:
<blockquote>switch(val) {<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;case 1:<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;answer = "a";<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;break;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;case 2:<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;answer = "b";<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;break;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;default:<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;answer = "c";<br>}</blockquote>
</section>

## Instructions
<section id='instructions'>
Change the chained <code>if</code>/<code>else if</code> statements into a <code>switch</code> statement.
</section>

## Tests
<section id='tests'>

```yml
- text: You should not use any <code>else</code> statements anywhere in the editor
  testString: 'assert(!/else/g.test(code), ''You should not use any <code>else</code> statements anywhere in the editor'');'
- text: You should not use any <code>if</code> statements anywhere in the editor
  testString: 'assert(!/if/g.test(code), ''You should not use any <code>if</code> statements anywhere in the editor'');'
- text: You should have at least four <code>break</code> statements
  testString: 'assert(code.match(/break/g).length >= 4, ''You should have at least four <code>break</code> statements'');'
- text: <code>chainToSwitch("bob")</code> should be "Marley"
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch("bob") === "Marley", ''<code>chainToSwitch("bob")</code> should be "Marley"'');'
- text: <code>chainToSwitch(42)</code> should be "The Answer"
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch(42) === "The Answer", ''<code>chainToSwitch(42)</code> should be "The Answer"'');'
- text: '<code>chainToSwitch(1)</code> should be "There is no #1"'
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch(1) === "There is no #1", ''<code>chainToSwitch(1)</code> should be "There is no #1"'');'
- text: <code>chainToSwitch(99)</code> should be "Missed me by this much!"
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch(99) === "Missed me by this much!", ''<code>chainToSwitch(99)</code> should be "Missed me by this much!"'');'
- text: <code>chainToSwitch(7)</code> should be "Ate Nine"
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch(7) === "Ate Nine", ''<code>chainToSwitch(7)</code> should be "Ate Nine"'');'
- text: <code>chainToSwitch("John")</code> should be "" (empty string)
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch("John") === "", ''<code>chainToSwitch("John")</code> should be "" (empty string)'');'
- text: <code>chainToSwitch(156)</code> should be "" (empty string)
  testString: 'assert(chainToSwitch(156) === "", ''<code>chainToSwitch(156)</code> should be "" (empty string)'');'

```

</section>

## Challenge Seed
<section id='challengeSeed'>

<div id='js-seed'>

```js
function chainToSwitch(val) {
  var answer = "";
  // Only change code below this line
  
  if (val === "bob") {
    answer = "Marley";
  } else if (val === 42) {
    answer = "The Answer";
  } else if (val === 1) {
    answer = "There is no #1";
  } else if (val === 99) {
    answer = "Missed me by this much!";
  } else if (val === 7) {
    answer = "Ate Nine";
  }
  
  // Only change code above this line  
  return answer;  
}

// Change this value to test
chainToSwitch(7);

```

</div>



</section>

## Solution
<section id='solution'>


```js
function chainToSwitch(val) {
  var answer = "";

  switch(val) {
    case "bob":
      answer = "Marley";
      break;
    case 42:
      answer = "The Answer";
      break;
    case 1:
      answer = "There is no #1";
      break;
    case 99:
      answer = "Missed me by this much!";
      break;
    case 7:
      answer = "Ate Nine";
  }
  return answer;  
}
```

</section>