while Loop in Python. When you start programming in Python, one of the fundamental concepts you will encounter is the loop. Loops are used to repeat a block of code multiple times, and the simplest form of loop in Python is the while
loop. This tutorial will guide you through the basics of while
a loop, including its syntax, how it works, and when to use it.
Table of Contents
What is while Loop in Python
In Python, a while
loop is a control flow statement that allows code to be executed repeatedly based on a given Boolean condition. The while
loop can be thought of as a repeating if
statement. As long as the condition remains true, the code block within the loop will keep executing. Once the condition becomes false, The loop stops and the program moves on to the next section of the code.
Syntax of while
Loop in Python
The basic syntax of a while
loop in Python is as follows-
while condition:
#Block of code to be executed
Here, condition
is a Boolean expression that evaluates to either True
or False
. The code block within the loop will continue to execute as long as the condition is True
.
How Does a while Loop Work?
To better understand how while
loop work, Let’s look at a simple example of while
loop in Python.
counter = 0
while counter<5:
print("count is ", counter)
counter = counter + 1
In this example, the loop will print out a message with the current value of counter
and then increment counter
by 1. The process repeats until counter
is no longer less than 5, at which point the loop exists and the program is complete.
Important Points to Remember
- Initialization: Before entering the
while
loop, ensure the variables used in the condition are initialized. - Condition Update: Within the loop, there must be an operation that eventually causes the condition to become, otherwise the loop will continue indefinitely commonly known as an infinite loop.
- Infinite Loops: The cautious of an infinite loop, As they can cause your program to hang. To avoid them, ensure your loop’s condition will eventually become false.
Happy Coding & Learning