# Loops

Python has two looping constructs.
`while` loops for _indefinite_ (uncounted) iteration and `for` loops for _definite_, (counted) iteration.
The keywords `break`, `continue`, and `else` help customize loop behavior.
`range()` and `enumerate()` help with loop counting and indexing.

## While

[`while`][while statement] loops will continue to execute as long as the `loop expression` or "test" evaluates to `True` in a [`boolean context`][truth value testing], terminating when it evaluates to `False`:

```python
# Lists are considered "truthy" in a boolean context if they
# contain one or more values, and "falsy" if they are empty.

>>> placeholders = ["spam", "ham", "eggs", "green_spam", "green_ham", "green_eggs"]

>>> while placeholders:
...     print(placeholders.pop(0))
...
'spam'
'ham'
'eggs'
'green_spam'
'green_ham'
'green_eggs'
```

## For

The basic [`for`][for statement] `loop` in Python is better described as a _`for each`_ which cycles through the values of any [iterable object][iterable], terminating when there are no values returned from calling [`next()`][next built-in] (_raising a [`StopIteration`][stopiteration]_).

```python

>>> word_list = ["bird", "chicken", "barrel", "bongo"]

>>> for word in word_list:
...    if word.startswith("b"):
...        print(f"{word.title()} starts with a B.")
...    else:
...        print(f"{word.title()} doesn't start with a B.")
...
'Bird starts with a B.'
'Chicken doesn\'t start with a B.'
'Barrel starts with a B.'
'Bongo starts with a B.'
```


## Sequence Object `range()`

When there isn't a specific `iterable` given, the special [`range()`][range] sequence is used as a loop counter.
`range()` requires an `int` before which to `stop` the sequence, and can optionally take `start` and `step` parameters.
If no `start` number is provided, the sequence will begin with 0.
`range()` objects are **lazy** (_values are generated on request_), support all [common sequence operations][common sequence operations], and take up a fixed amount of memory, no matter how long the sequence specified.
Interestingly, `range()` [_is not an iterator_][range is not an iterator], and can be used in many non-looping contexts where a sequence of numbers is needed.


```python
# Here we use range to produce some numbers, rather than creating a list of them in memory.
# The values will start with 1 and stop *before* 7.

>>> for number in range(1, 7):
...    if number % 2 == 0:
...       print(f"{number} is even.")
...    else:
...       print(f"{number} is odd.")
'1 is odd.'
'2 is even.'
'3 is odd.'
'4 is even.'
'5 is odd.'
'6 is even.'

# range() can also take a *step* parameter.
# Here we use range to produce only the "odd" numbers, starting with 3 and stopping *before* 15.

>>> for number in range(3, 15, 2):
...    if number % 2 == 0:
...       print(f"{number} is even.")
...    else:
...       print(f"{number} is odd.")
...
'3 is odd.'
'5 is odd.'
'7 is odd.'
'9 is odd.'
'11 is odd.'
'13 is odd.'
```


## Values and Indexes with `enumerate()`

If both values and indexes are needed, the built-in [`enumerate(<iterable>)`][enumerate] will return an [`iterator`][iterator] over (`index`, `value`) pairs:

```python

>>> word_list = ["bird", "chicken", "barrel", "apple"]

# *index* and *word* are the loop variables.
# Loop variables can be any valid python name.

>>> for index, word in enumerate(word_list):
...    if word.startswith("b"):
...        print(f"{word.title()} (at index {index}) starts with a B.")
...    else:
...        print(f"{word.title()} (at index {index}) doesn't start with a B.")
...
'Bird (at index 0) starts with a B.'
'Chicken (at index 1) doesn\'t start with a B.'
'Barrel (at index 2) starts with a B.'
'Apple (at index 3) doesn\'t start with a B.'


# The same method can be used as a "lookup" for pairing items between two lists.
# Of course, if the lengths or indexes don't line up, this doesn't work.

>>> word_list = ["cat", "chicken", "barrel", "apple", "spinach"]
>>> category_list = ["mammal", "bird", "thing", "fruit", "vegetable"]

>>> for index, word in enumerate(word_list):
...    print(f"{word.title()} is in category: {category_list[index]}.")
...
'Cat is in category: mammal.'
'Chicken is in category: bird.'
'Barrel is in category: thing.'
'Apple is in category: fruit.'
'Spinach is in category: vegetable.'
```

The `enumerate(<iterable>)` function can also be set to `start` the index count at a different number:


```python
# Here, the index count will start at 1.
>>> for position, word in enumerate(word_list, start=1):
...    if word.startswith("b"):
...        print(f"{word.title()} (at position {position}) starts with a B.")
...    else:
...        print(f"{word.title()} (at position {position}) doesn't start with a B.")
...
'Bird (at position 1) starts with a B.'
'Chicken (at position 2) doesn\'t start with a B.'
'Barrel (at position 3) starts with a B.'
'Apple (at position 4) doesn\'t start with a B.'
```


## Altering Loop Behavior

The [`continue`][continue statement] keyword can be used to skip forward to the next iteration cycle:

```python
word_list = ["bird", "chicken", "barrel", "bongo", "sliver", "apple", "bear"]

# This will skip *bird*, at index 0
for index, word in enumerate(word_list):
    if index == 0:
        continue
    if word.startswith("b"):
        print(f"{word.title()} (at index {index}) starts with a b.")

'Barrel (at index 2) starts with a b.'
'Bongo (at index 3) starts with a b.'
'Bear (at index 6) starts with a b.'
```


The [`break`][break statement] (_like in many C-related languages_) keyword can be used to stop the iteration and "break out" of the innermost enclosing `loop`:

```python
>>>  word_list = ["bird", "chicken", "barrel", "bongo", "sliver", "apple"]

>>> for index, word in enumerate(word_list):
...    if word.startswith("b"):
...        print(f"{word.title()} (at index {index}) starts with a B.")
...    elif word == "sliver":
...       break
...    else:
...       print(f"{word.title()} doesn't start with a B.")
... print("loop broken.")
...
'Bird (at index 0) starts with a B.'
'Chicken doesn\'t start with a B.'
'Barrel (at index 2) starts with a B.'
'Bongo (at index 3) starts with a B.'
'loop broken.'
```


The loop [`else` clause][loop else] is unique to Python and can be used for "wrap up" or "concluding" actions when iteration has been exhausted.
 Statements following the `else` keyword will not execute if iteration terminates via `break`:


```python
>>> word_list = ["bird", "chicken", "barrel", "bongo", "sliver", "apple"]

# Using enumerate to get both an index and a value.

>>> for index, word in enumerate(word_list):
...    word = word.title()
...    if word.startswith("B"):
...        print(f"{word} (at index {index}) starts with a B.")

...# This executes once *StopIteration* is raised and 
...# there are no more items to iterate through.
...# Note the indentation, which lines up with the for keyword.
...else:
...    print(f"Found the above b-words, out of {len(word_list)} words in the word list.")
...
'Bird (at index 0) starts with a B.'
'Barrel (at index 2) starts with a B.'
'Bongo (at index 3) starts with a B.'
'Found the above b-words, out of 6 words in the word list.'


# Terminating a loop via *break* will bypass the loop *else* clause

>>> for index, word in enumerate(word_list):
...    word = word.title()
...    if word.startswith("B"):
...       print(f"{word} (at index {index}) starts with a B.")
...    if word.startswith("S"):
...        print("Found an S, stopping iteration.")
...        break

... # This statement does not run, because a *break* was triggered.
... else:
...   print(f"Found the above b-words, out of {len(word_list)} words in the word list.")
...
'Bird (at index 0) starts with a B.'
'Barrel (at index 2) starts with a B.'
'Bongo (at index 3) starts with a B.'
'Found an S, stopping iteration.'
```

[break statement]: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/simple_stmts.html#the-break-statement
[common sequence operations]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#common-sequence-operations
[continue statement]: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/simple_stmts.html#the-continue-statement
[enumerate]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#enumerate
[for statement]: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/compound_stmts.html#for
[iterable]: https://docs.python.org/3/glossary.html#term-iterable
[iterator]: https://docs.python.org/3/glossary.html#term-iterator
[loop else]: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/controlflow.html#break-and-continue-statements-and-else-clauses-on-loops
[next built-in]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#next
[range is not an iterator]: https://treyhunner.com/2018/02/python-range-is-not-an-iterator/
[range]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#range
[stopiteration]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/exceptions.html#StopIteration
[truth value testing]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#truth-value-testing
[while statement]: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/compound_stmts.html#the-while-statement
