What is the purpose of flow control in programming?

Flow control in programming is essential for determining the order in which code instructions are executed. This concept allows developers to dictate the logic of a program by implementing various structures such as loops, conditionals, and branching statements. Through flow control, a program can make decisions based on certain conditions, perform repetitive tasks, and handle complex logic. For instance, using an "if" statement allows a program to execute a specific block of code only when a certain condition is met, while loops allow the same block of code to be executed repeatedly until a condition changes.

The ability to control the flow of execution is fundamental to creating dynamic and responsive programs, as it enables the code to behave differently based on user input, data conditions, or other variables. Therefore, flow control is a critical aspect of programming that significantly affects how an application operates and interacts with users or other systems.