What is an 'if statement' used for?

An 'if statement' is utilized in programming to make decisions based on conditions. This means that the program evaluates a particular condition or expression, and if that condition is true, it executes a specific block of code. This capability allows for conditional logic, enabling the program to respond differently depending on the circumstances or input it encounters.

For instance, in a scenario where a program needs to check if a user input is valid, an if statement can be employed to verify that the input meets certain criteria. If the condition is satisfied, the program might proceed with that input; otherwise, it can trigger an alternative action, such as displaying an error message.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary function of an if statement:

• Declaring variables is accomplished through different constructs, such as variable assignment.
• Creating loops involves using constructs like for or while statements, not if statements.
• Importing modules is done using import statements, which is a separate action entirely unrelated to conditional logic.