The most basic conditional construct in a programming language, allowing selection between two alternatives, dependent on the truth or falsity of a given condition. Most languages also provide an if…then construct to allow conditional execution of a single statement or group of statements. Primitive languages, such as Basic in its original form, restrict the facility to a conditional transfer of control, e.g.
which is reminiscent of the conditional jump provided in the order code of every CPU.
See also conditional.