Goto
statement invoking one-way transfer of program control in many languages
In computer programming, goto is a control flow statement that transfers control to another line of source code. Unlike a function call that supports returning to the point of call, goto does not. The statement is denoted differently by programming language; some use lowercase (goto), some use uppercase (GOTO), and others are case-insensitive. A few languages make the statement two words (i.e. GO TO).
A goto statement is included in a language, primarily, to provide access to the machine code jump instruction (a.k.a. branch or transfer), but due to potential problems with the use of jump semantics, languages have over time been augmented with other flow-control mechanisms intended to replace the need for and use of goto. Many modern languages do not include a goto statement at all. Many languages that do include a goto statement restrict its use in order to limit the problems that its use might incur. Further, as its use is generally considered a poor choice, software developers tend to avoid using it even when using a language that provides it.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Goto” as statement invoking one-way transfer of program control in many languages. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
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The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as statement invoking one-way transfer of program control in many languages. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 17, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q750997. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Goto” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.