List Comprehensions vs For Loops

What's the difference between list comprehensions and for loops in Python?

List comprehensions provide a concise way to create lists. For loops are more verbose but can be more flexible.

Can you give me an example of both?

Sure! For a list of squares:

Using a for loop:

squares = []
for x in range(10):
    squares.append(x**2)

Using a list comprehension:

squares = [x**2 for x in range(10)]

Which one is more efficient?

List comprehensions are generally faster than for loops because they are optimized for performance in Python.

Are there any situations where I should prefer for loops?

Yes, for loops are better when you need to perform complex operations or when readability is a priority.