Salesforce Apex Switch Case Explained

A switch statement is a control flow structure in programming that allows the execution of different blocks of code depending on the value of a given expression or variable.

Switch statements are commonly used when there are multiple conditions to be checked, and each condition may lead to a different set of actions. Instead of writing multiple if statements, a switch statement provides a more concise and readable way to handle multiple cases.

Apex Switch Case

If statements that compare a variable against multiple values are hard to read. Switch statements provide a cleaner way to express the same.

In Apex Switch statements can be used with the following types:

• Enum
• Integer
• Long
• sObject
• String

Below you see an switch case string example.

Apex Switch Case Examples

Let’s take a look at an Apex switch statement example:

String fruit = 'apple';

switch on fruit {
    when 'apple' {
        System.debug('You chose an apple.');
    }
    when 'banana' {
        System.debug('You chose a banana.');
    }
    when 'orange' {
        System.debug('You chose an orange.');
    }
    when else {
        System.debug('You chose a fruit that is not in our list.');
    }
}

This basic switch case in Apex example will print “You chose an apple.” to the debug log.

Switch Statement Default

The following example demonstrates a switch case with an enum. As you see, there is no when clause for TRIAL and HOBBY. They are both handled by the default clause in “when else”.

Note: The “when else” clause needs to be the last option in the switch statement.

public enum Plan {TRIAL, HOBBY, PROFESSIONAL, ENTERPRISE}
    
Plan selectedPlan = Plan.HOBBY;    

switch on selectedPlan {
    when PROFESSIONAL {
        System.debug('$10');
    }
    when ENTERPRISE {
        System.debug('$250');
    }
    when else {
        System.debug('It's free.');
    }
}

Switch Case Multiple Values

You can provide multiple values to a the when clause of a switch case.

Take a look at the switch case example below. Banana and lemon are both yellow. You can simply name multiple options by separate them by commas.

String fruit = 'banana';    
switch on fruit {
    when 'banana','lemon' {
        System.debug('yellow');
    }
    when 'strawberry' {
        System.debug('red');
    }
    when else {
        System.debug('unknown');
    }
}