Python Loops and Iterations — Complete

Tutorial

(Corey Schafer — Python Tutorial for Beginners 7: Loops

and Iterations - For/While Loops)
1. What Are Loops?
Loops let you repeat code multiple times without writing it over and over. Instead of
writing print() 10 times, you write one loop that runs 10 times.
Two types of loops in Python:
• For Loop — loops through a sequence (list, string, range, etc.)
• While Loop — keeps running as long as a condition is True

2. For Loops
Basic For Loop — Looping Through a List:
Python
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

for num in nums:

print(num)

# Output:
# 1
# 2
# 3
# 4
# 5

How it works: The variable num takes the value of each item in the list, one at a time. The
indented code runs once for each item.
Looping Through a String:
Python
 for letter in 'Hello':
print(letter)

# Output:
# H
# e
# l
# l
# o

The break Keyword

break stops the loop completely and exits it:
Python
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

for num in nums:

if num == 3:
print('Found!')
break
print(num)

# Output:
# 1
# 2
# Found!

The loop stops at 3 — it never prints 4 or 5.

The continue Keyword
continue skips the current iteration and moves to the next one:
Python
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

for num in nums:

if num == 3:
print('Found!')
continue
print(num)
 # Output:
# 1
# 2
# Found!
# 4
# 5

It skips printing 3 (the print(num) below continue doesn't run for 3), but the loop keeps
going.
Nested For Loops (Loop Inside a Loop)
Python
nums = [1, 2, 3]
letters = ['a', 'b', 'c']

for num in nums:

for letter in letters:
print(num, letter)

# Output:
# 1 a
# 1 b
# 1 c
# 2 a
# 2 b
# 2 c
# 3 a
# 3 b
# 3 c

How it works: For EACH number, the inner loop runs through ALL the letters. The inner
loop completes fully before the outer loop moves to the next item.
The range() Function
range() generates a sequence of numbers. Very useful with for loops:
Python
# range(stop) — starts at 0, goes up to (but not including) stop
for i in range(10):
print(i)
 # Output: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

# range(start, stop)
for i in range(1, 11):
print(i)
# Output: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

# range(start, stop, step)

for i in range(0, 20, 2):
print(i)
# Output: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18

enumerate() — Get Index and Value

Python
courses = ['History', 'Math', 'Physics', 'CompSci']

for index, course in enumerate(courses):

print(index, course)

# Output:
# 0 History
# 1 Math
# 2 Physics
# 3 CompSci

Start counting from 1 instead of 0:

Python
for index, course in enumerate(courses, start=1):
print(index, course)

# Output:
# 1 History
# 2 Math
# 3 Physics
# 4 CompSci

3. While Loops
A while loop keeps running as long as the condition is True:
 Python
x = 0

while x < 10:

print(x)
x += 1

# Output: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

How it works:
1. Check: is x < 10 ? Yes → run the code
2. Print x, then add 1 to x
3. Go back to step 1
4. When x reaches 10, the condition is False → loop stops
Infinite Loops (Be Careful!)
If the condition NEVER becomes False, the loop runs forever:
Python
# DON'T DO THIS (infinite loop):
x = 0
while x < 10:
print(x)
# Forgot to add x += 1, so x stays 0 forever!

Always make sure your while loop has a way to end.

break in While Loops
Python
x = 0

while True:
if x == 5:
break
print(x)
x += 1
 # Output: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

while True creates an infinite loop, but break stops it when x equals 5.

continue in While Loops

Python
x = 0

while x < 10:

x += 1
if x == 5:
continue
print(x)

# Output: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
# (5 is skipped)

4. For Loop vs While Loop — When to Use Each

Use Case Best Loop
Loop through a list/sequence For loop
Loop a specific number of times For loop with range()
Loop until a condition changes While loop
Loop until user input stops it While loop
You know how many iterations For loop
You DON'T know how many iterations While loop

5. The else Clause in Loops

Python has a unique feature — you can add else to a loop. The else block runs ONLY if the
loop completes without hitting a break :
For loop with else:
Python
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

for num in nums:

if num == 6:
print('Found 6!')
break
else:
print('6 was not found')

# Output: 6 was not found

# (because break was never triggered)

Python
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

for num in nums:

if num == 6:
print('Found 6!')
break
else:
print('6 was not found')

# Output: Found 6!
# (else doesn't run because break was triggered)

While loop with else:

Python
x = 0

while x < 5:
print(x)
x += 1
else:
print('Loop completed!')

# Output: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, Loop completed!

6. Practical Examples
Example 1: Loop Through a List and Find Something
Python
clients = ['Restaurant A', 'Plumber B', 'Salon C', 'Clinic D']

for client in clients:

if client == 'Salon C':
print(f'Found client: {client}')
break
else:
print('Client not found')

# Output: Found client: Salon C

Example 2: Sum All Numbers in a List

Python
nums = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
total = 0

for num in nums:

total += num

print(f'Total: {total}')
# Output: Total: 150

Example 3: Simple Password Checker (While Loop)

Python
password = ''

while password != 'nexaflow':

password = input('Enter password: ')

print('Access granted!')

Example 4: Count Even and Odd Numbers

 Python
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
even_count = 0
odd_count = 0

for num in nums:

if num % 2 == 0:
even_count += 1
else:
odd_count += 1

print(f'Even: {even_count}, Odd: {odd_count}')

# Output: Even: 5, Odd: 5

Example 5: Multiplication Table

Python
num = 7

for i in range(1, 11):

print(f'{num} x {i} = {num * i}')

# Output:
# 7 x 1 = 7
# 7 x 2 = 14
# 7 x 3 = 21
# ... etc

Example 6: Loop Through a Dictionary

Python
student = {'name': 'Gerald', 'age': 19, 'company': 'Nexaflow'}

for key, value in [Link]():

print(f'{key}: {value}')

# Output:
# name: Gerald
# age: 19
# company: Nexaflow
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting to increment in while loops → infinite loop
2. Off-by-one errors → range(10) gives 0-9, not 1-10
3. Modifying a list while looping through it → unexpected behavior
4. Indentation errors → code outside the loop runs only once
Python
# WRONG — modifying list while looping:
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
for num in nums:
[Link](num) # Don't do this!

# RIGHT — create a copy:

nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
for num in [Link]():
[Link](num) # Safe

Key Takeaways
1. For loops = loop through sequences (lists, strings, ranges)
2. While loops = loop until a condition is False
3. break = stop the loop completely
4. continue = skip this iteration, go to the next
5. range() = generate numbers to loop through
6. enumerate() = get both index and value
7. else on loops = runs only if loop completes without break
8. Always ensure while loops can end — avoid infinite loops
Python Loops & Iterations Note | Add to Obsidian and practice each example in your Python
console.