What is the difference between an iterator and an iterable in Python?

What is the difference between an iterator and an iterable in Python?

In Python, an iterable is an object that can return its members 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().

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

How do I know if an object is an iterator?

You can check if an object is an iterator by using the hasattr() function to see if it has the __next__() method. If it does, it's an iterator.

What are some common use cases for iterators?

Common use cases for iterators include looping through large datasets, implementing custom data structures, and managing memory efficiently.