No, it is optional. After executing a case, the break will help you to come out of switch statement. In the absence of a break keyword, the next case will be executed. See the following example: switch with a break statement int main() { int a=1; switch(a) { case 1: printf("This is case 1"); break; case 2: printf("This is case 2"); } return 0; } Output This is case 1 switch without using the break statement int main() { int a=1; switch(a) { case 1: printf("This is case 1"); case 2: printf("This is case 2"); } return 0; } Output This is case 1 This is case 2 In this example, the case is not terminated here.