What are the differences between iterables and iterators in programming?

What are the differences between iterables and iterators in programming?

Iterables are objects that can return an iterator, while iterators are objects that keep track of their current position in a sequence.

Can you give me examples of each?

Sure! A list is an iterable, and you can create an iterator from it using the iter() function. The iterator can then be used to traverse the list.

What are some use cases for iterators?

Iterators are useful for processing large datasets, lazy evaluation, and implementing custom iteration logic without exposing the underlying data structure.

Are there any performance differences between using iterables and iterators?

Yes, iterators can be more memory efficient since they generate items on-the-fly, while iterables may require loading all items into memory.