What is the difference between iterators and generators in Python?

What is the difference between iterators and generators in Python?

Iterators are objects that implement the iterator protocol, which consists of the methods iter() and next(). Generators, on the other hand, are a simpler way to create iterators using a function that yields values.

Can you give me an example of an iterator?

Sure! An example of an iterator is a list iterator. You can create one by calling iter() on a list, and then use next() to get each item one by one.

And how about a generator?

A generator can be created using a function with the yield statement. For example, a function that yields numbers from 1 to 5 would look like this: def count_to_five(): for i in range(1, 6): yield i.

What are the advantages of using generators?

Generators are memory efficient because they yield items one at a time and only when required, rather than storing all items in memory.