What are the differences between iterators and generators in Python?

What are the differences between iterators and generators in Python?

Iterators are objects that implement the iterator protocol, allowing you to traverse through a collection. Generators, on the other hand, are a simpler way to create iterators using the yield statement.

Can you give me some use cases for both?

Sure! Use cases for iterators include custom data structures and large datasets where you want to control memory usage. Generators are great for streaming data, lazy evaluation, and when you want to simplify code.

Which one is more memory efficient?

Generators are generally more memory efficient because they yield items one at a time and do not store the entire collection in memory.

Are there any performance differences?

Yes, generators can be faster for large datasets since they produce items on-the-fly, while iterators may require more overhead if they store the entire collection.