---
title: "Understanding Python Loop and Flow Control for Newbies"
description: "Understand one of the most important constructs in building great Python loop, the code in this handy guide."
canonical: "https://adamtheautomator.com/python-loop/"
---

# Understanding Python Loop and Flow Control for Newbies

> Understand one of the most important constructs in building great Python loop, the code in this handy guide.

Source: https://adamtheautomator.com/python-loop/

---

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# Understanding Python Loop and Flow Control for Newbies

[![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2beb65fca997135120ed98dc6a2e57dcdf1a7d7d2f5ff687b5d91dc7ccd7a6b5?s=192&d=mm&r=g)Sagar](https://adamtheautomator.com/author/shanky-mendiratta/)1 June 20215 min. read

Categories: [IT Ops](/category/it-ops/)

Tags:[Python](/tag/python/)

Table of Contents

*   [Prerequisites](#h-prerequisites)
*   [Understanding Iterable Python Constructs](#h-understanding-iterable-python-constructs)
*   [Python For Loops](#h-python-for-loops)
*   [For Loops and Strings](#h-for-loops-and-strings)
*   [Python While Loops](#h-python-while-loops)
*   [Flow Control in Loops](#h-flow-control-in-loops)
*   [The Break Statement](#h-the-break-statement)
*   [The Continue Statement](#h-the-continue-statement)
*   [The Pass Statement](#h-the-pass-statement)
*   [Conclusion](#h-conclusion)

Python is one of the most widely used languages today. Like nearly all other programming languages, Python has the loop construct. Python loops such as the for loop and while loop allow developers to iterate collections or based on various conditions.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create and use each type of Python loop and also how to control loops using the `break`, `pass`, and `continue` Python statements.

Let’s begin!

## Prerequisites

This post will be a step-by-step tutorial. If you’d like to follow along, ensure you have [Python](https://adamtheautomator.com/install-python-36/) v3.6 or later installed. This tutorial will be using Python v3.9.2 on a Windows 10 machine.

Related:[How Do You Install Python 3.6?](https://adamtheautomator.com/install-python-36/)

## Understanding Iterable Python Constructs

Before you can begin to learn loops, you must learn about the concept of Python iterables. Loops process collections of elements like [lists](https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_lists.asp), [tuples](https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_tuples.asp), and [dictionaries](https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_dictionaries.asp). Each of these constructs contains multiple elements that you can “iterate over”. As such, each construct is an _iterable_ with elements that a loop can process individually.

When you hear someone talk about something being iterable, know that this is an element you can read each object inside of that collection with a loop.

## Python For Loops

Let’s get this tutorial started by first learning for loops. For loops repeat the execution of statements or block of statements controlled by an iterable expression. In other words, they execute code for each item inside of a collection of elements.

### For Loops and Strings

For example, perhaps you have an iterable item such as a string. In Python, the string is a sequence of characters. Each string consists of a combination of characters. Maybe you have a string `ADAM`. This string consists of four iterable characters, `A`, `D`, `A`, and `M`.

As one string, Python only sees one element; `ADAM`, as shown below.

![One element in Python](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T101623.290.png)

One element in Python

But, since Python strings are _iterable_, Python can “break apart” that string into an array of characters and then process each character one at a time. To do that, you’d create a for loop like below.

The for loop has a target or iterator (`letter` in this case) to represent each iteration. You’d then tell Python what iterable element you’d like to process (`ATA`) using the `in` keyword. Each character in the character array is _in_ the string.

Then, inside of the for loop, you’d create any code you’d like to run for each iteration. In this example, Python is simply printing each character in the character array (string).

```python
ATA = "ADAM"
for letter in ATA:
    print(letter)
```

You can see below that Python prints each character in the string one at a time.

![Printing each character in a string with a for loop](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T101709.613.png)

Printing each character in a string with a for loop

> _For loops can iterate over any iterable element such as lists and ranges also. Replace `ATA` in this section’s example with `range(5)` and you’ll see the same result._

## Python While Loops

While for loops execute code for each item in a collection of elements, the while loop executes code based on a specific condition. More specifically, Python continues to execute a while loop while a condition is false.

For example, a common requirement in Python is to create a counter and execute code a defined number of times. To create this situation, you’d need to define a _condition_ that would return `True` when the current count exceeds the maximum count.

Let’s say you start out with a variable called `count` storing an integer 0. You’d like to increment this integer by 1 but not exceed 5. You could create something like this:

```python
count = 0
count = count + 1
count = count + 1
count = count + 1
count = count + 1
count = count + 1
print(count)
```

The above could work but it’s not efficient at all. You’re not using the [DRY principle](https://thevaluable.dev/dry-principle-cost-benefit-example/). You’re repeating yourself. Instead, reduce code length by using a while loop and telling Python to add one to `count` _while_ `count` is less than six.

The below examples using a while loop to define a condition (`count < 6`) and to execute an expression (the `print` statement and increment the `count` by 1 _while_ the condition is `True`.

```python
count = 0
while (count < 6):
   print('The count is:', count)
   count = count + 1
```

![Demonstrating a Python while loop](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T101806.831.png)

Demonstrating a Python while loop

## Flow Control in Loops

In the previous two examples, both the Python for and while loops started and ended all on their own. The for loop terminated because it reached the end of the iterable collection and the while loop ended because its condition evaluated to be `True`.

Although it’s common for Python loops to end “normally”, you can also change the behavior of the loop to terminate prematurely or skip one or more iterations.

### The Break Statement

When you need to end a loop prematurely, you can do so by using the `break` statement. When executed inside of a loop, the `break` statement stops the loop at the current iteration.

Typically, you’ll use the `break` statement when a specific condition is met inside of a loop. For example, in the previous for loop example, you learned a for loop will iterate over an array of characters in a string. Maybe you’d like to only process all characters up to the first `D`.

To stop a for loop (or even a while loop), define a certain condition you’d like to match on and then include a `break` statement, as shown below.

In the below example, Python terminates the for loop the moment when the iterator variable `letter` equals `D`.

```python
ATA = "ADAM"
for letter in ATA:
	print(letter)
	if letter == "D":
		break
```

![Demonstrating the break statement in a Python loop](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T101847.992.png)

Demonstrating the break statement in a Python loop

### The Continue Statement

Perhaps you need to create a loop based on a specific condition but don’t necessarily want to process every iterable element. In that case, you can skip iterations with the `continue` statement.

Unlike the `break` statement that terminates the entire loop, the `continue` statement skips the current iteration. Using the example from above, maybe you’d like to iterate over each character in the string `ADAM` but skip the `D` character. You could skip the `D` character using a condition (`if letter == "D"`) and the `continue` statement, as shown below.

```python
ATA = "ADAM"
for letter in ATA:
	if letter == "D":
		continue
	print(letter)
```

You can see below Python didn’t return the `D` character because the `continue` statement skipped the `print` statement when it encountered the `D` character.

![Using the Python continue statement](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T101922.970.png)

Using the Python continue statement

### The Pass Statement

Let’s now finish off the flow control section with the `pass` statement. The `pass` statement is a bit unique in that it’s actually just a placeholder. The `pass` statement is a way to define a loop in a Python script that actually does nothing.

Let’s say you have a for loop that you’d prefer to leave in your Python script for whatever reason. But, you don’t actually have an expression to execute inside it, like below.

```python
for value in "adam":
```

When you define a for loop in Python with an expression inside, Python will return an **IdentationError**, as shown below.

![Error about no loop expression](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T102010.976.png)

Error about no loop expression

But, add the `pass` statement as an expression inside of the `for` loop and you’ll see Python executes the for loop essentially doing nothing.

![Using the pass statement](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-2021-06-01T102042.891.png)

Using the pass statement

## Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to get started with Python loops. Learning how Python loops work and how to control them gives you way more opportunities to create and build solid Python programs.

With your newfound knowledge, where will you insert a loop in your code?

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