What is the difference between iterables and iterators in Python?

What is the difference between iterables and iterators in Python?

In Python, an iterable is an object that can return its elements one at a time, like lists or tuples. An iterator, on the other hand, is an object that implements the iterator protocol, which consists of the methods iter() and next(). Essentially, all iterators are iterables, but not all iterables are iterators.

Can you give me an example of an iterable and an iterator?

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

This shows how you can retrieve elements one by one using the iterator.

How do I convert an iterable to an iterator?

You can convert an iterable to an iterator using the iter() function. For example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3]
my_iterator = iter(my_list)

Now, my_iterator can be used to access elements one at a time.

What are some common use cases for iterators?

Iterators are commonly used in loops, especially in for-loops, to iterate over data structures without needing to know their size in advance. They are also useful for handling large datasets, as they allow you to process items one at a time without loading everything into memory.