CASE statement is a control flow statement used in many programming languages that allows you to test a variable against a list of values and execute different code blocks based on which value matches. It's like a more concise and readable version of a series of if-else statements, perfect for when you need to map a variety of inputs to specific outputs.

How to use it in a sentence

"I was trying to refactor this legacy PHP code, but it was just a tangled mess of nested if-else statements. I replaced it all with a single CASE statement and now it's as clean as the code at a Silicon Valley startup."

"The junior dev was struggling to handle user input validation, so I showed her how to use a CASE statement to map each possible input to the appropriate error message or success action. It's like a cheat code for input handling."

If you actually want to learn more...

• CASE Statements in SQL Server: This article dives into the specifics of using CASE statements in SQL Server, complete with examples and performance considerations. Perfect for when you're wrangling data like a true code ninja.

• The Power of CASE Statements in Programming: A more general overview of CASE statements and their use across various programming languages. It's like a CASE statement for learning about CASE statements.

• Refactoring with CASE Statements: This article shows you how to use CASE statements to refactor complex conditional logic and make your code more readable and maintainable. It's like Marie Kondo for your codebase.

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