What is the difference between iterable and iterator in Python?

What is the difference between iterable and iterator in Python?

In Python, an iterable is an object that can return its elements one at a time, like a list or a tuple. An iterator, on the other hand, is an object that implements the iterator protocol, which consists of the methods iter() and next().

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! A list is an iterable. You can create an iterator from it using the iter() function. For example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3]
my_iterator = iter(my_list)
print(next(my_iterator))  # Outputs: 1

What happens if I try to use an iterator after it’s exhausted?

If you try to use an iterator after it’s exhausted, calling next() will raise a StopIteration exception, indicating that there are no more items to return.

How can I reset an iterator?

You cannot reset an iterator directly. Instead, you need to create a new iterator from the iterable again using the iter() function.