Windows goto equivalent in Linux
Bash has no GOTO. Use functions, break, continue, or restructure logic with loops and conditionals.
goto
functions / break / continue
functions / break / continue
functions / break / continue
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "goto" is used to control flow — replace GOTO with functions. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "functions / break / continue". Bash has no GOTO. Use functions, break, continue, or restructure logic with loops and conditionals. This reference is grouped under Terminal & Shell Scripting → Terminal.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows goto maps to functions / break / continue for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux command-line basics.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Control flow — replace GOTO with functions
Bash has no GOTO. Use functions, break, continue, or restructure logic with loops and conditionals.
function name() { ... }
Define a function
break
Exit current loop
continue
Skip to next loop iteration
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
do_backup() {
echo "Running backup..."
tar -czf backup.tar.gz ~/Documents
do_cleanup() {
rm -f /tmp/*.tmp
do_backup
do_cleanup
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: goto :label
# Use functions instead:
do_backup() {
echo "Running backup..."
tar -czf backup.tar.gz ~/Documents
}
do_cleanup() {
rm -f /tmp/*.tmp
}
do_backup
do_cleanupReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
function name() { ... } | Define a function |
break | Exit current loop |
continue | Skip to next loop iteration |
return 0 | Return from function with exit code |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "functions / break / continue" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | functions / break / continue |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | functions / break / continue |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | functions / break / continue |
Same command on this distribution. |
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