iteration

In Python, iteration is the process of repeatedly accessing elements from a sequence or collection, one at a time. This is typically done with for loops.

Python provides powerful tools for iteration, allowing you to loop over items in data structures like lists, tuples, dictionaries, and more.

Iteration is a fundamental concept in programming. It enables you to automate repetitive tasks and work efficiently with data collections.

Example

Here’s a quick example of iteration using a for loop to iterate over a list of numbers and print each one:

Python 
>>> numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
>>> for number in numbers:
...     print(number)
...
1
2
3
4
5

In this example, the for loop iterates over each item in the numbers list and prints it to your screen.

Python for Loops: The Pythonic Way

Tutorial

Python for Loops: The Pythonic Way

In this tutorial, you'll learn all about the Python for loop. You'll learn how to use this loop to iterate over built-in data types, such as lists, tuples, strings, and dictionaries. You'll also explore some Pythonic looping techniques and much more.

intermediate best-practices python

For additional information on related topics, take a look at the following resources:

By Leodanis Pozo Ramos • Updated July 4, 2025
Python Glossary Share Feedback