Loop Control Variable

All the while loops in this chapter look about like this:

int count = 0;  
int limit = 5;
while ( count <  limit )   
{
  System.out.println( "count is:" + count );
  count = count + 1;   
}
System.out.println( "Done with the loop" );      

The variable count is the one that is initialized, tested, and changed as the loop executes. It is an ordinary int variable, but it is used in a special role. The role is that of a loop control variable. Not all loops have loop control variables, however.

The type of loop we have been looking at is a counting loop, since it counts upwards using the loop control variable as a counter. You can make counting loops with statements other than the while statement, and not all while loops are counting loops.