In programming, there are situations where the same block of code needs to run multiple times. Loops help automate this repetition. Python provides three main types of loops: for loops, while loops, and nested loops.

What is a for Loop?

The for loop retrieves each item from a sequence one at a time and executes the specified code block for each iteration.

Syntax

for variable in sequence: 
    # code block
            

Key Points

• Used to iterate over a sequence.
• Executes a block of code repeatedly.
• Commonly used with range().
• Automatically stops when all items have been processed.
• Reduces the need for repetitive code.
• Supports iteration over strings, lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries.

Example 1: Print Numbers Using range()

for i in range(1, 6): 
    print(i)
            

Output

1 
2 
3 
4 
5
            

Explanation

The range(1, 6) function generates numbers from 1 to 5, and the loop prints each number.

Example 2: Iterate Through a List

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Mango"] 
for fruit in fruits: 
    print(fruit)
            

Output

Apple 
Banana 
Mango
            

Explanation

The loop accesses each item in the list and prints it.

Example 3: Iterate Through a String

for letter in "Python": 
    print(letter)
            

Output

P 
y 
t 
h 
o 
n
            

Explanation

The loop processes one character at a time from the string "Python".

Common Uses of for Loops

• Processing items in a list.
• Traversing strings.
• Repeating tasks a specific number of times.
• Generating patterns and tables.
• Performing calculations on collections of data.