for Loop in Python

A for loop is one of the most commonly used loops in Python. It allows us to repeat a block of code for each item in a sequence or iterable.

For example, if we have a list of students, we can use a for loop to process each student without writing the same code again and again.

What is a for Loop?

A for loop is used to iterate over items in an iterable, such as a list, string, tuple, or range.

The basic syntax is:

for variable in iterable:
    # code to execute

For example:

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Mango"]

for fruit in fruits:
    print(fruit)

Output:

Apple
Banana
Mango

Python takes each item from fruits, stores it in fruit, and executes the indented code.

Using for with range()

A very common use of for is with the range() function.

for i in range(5):
    print(i)

Output:

0
1
2
3
4

Notice that range(5) starts from 0 and stops before 5.

You can specify a starting value as well:

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

Output:

1
2
3
4
5

Using a Step

range() can also accept a step value.

for i in range(2, 11, 2):
    print(i)

Output:

2
4
6
8
10

Here, Python increases the number by 2 each time.

Looping Through a String

A string is also iterable, so you can loop through its characters.

word = "Python"

for character in word:
    print(character)

Output:

P
y
t
h
o
n

This can be useful when processing text character by character.

Using if Inside a for Loop

You can combine loops with conditions.

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

for number in numbers:
    if number % 2 == 0:
        print(number)

Output:

2
4
6

Here, the loop checks every number, while the if statement prints only the even ones.

break in a for Loop

The break statement immediately stops the loop.

for number in range(1, 10):
    if number == 5:
        break
    print(number)

Output:

1
2
3
4

As soon as number becomes 5, the loop stops.

continue in a for Loop

The continue statement skips the current iteration and moves to the next one.

for number in range(1, 6):
    if number == 3:
        continue
    print(number)

Output:

1
2
4
5

The number 3 is skipped.

for Loop with else

Python also allows an else block with a for loop.

for i in range(3):
    print(i)
else:
    print("Loop finished")

Output:

0
1
2
Loop finished

The else block runs when the loop finishes normally.

If the loop is stopped using break, the else block does not run:

for i in range(5):
    if i == 3:
        break
    print(i)
else:
    print("Loop finished")

Output:

0
1
2

Nested for Loops

You can place one for loop inside another.

for i in range(1, 4):
    for j in range(1, 4):
        print(i, j)

This is called a nested loop.

Nested loops are useful for working with things like tables, grids, and multidimensional data.

A Practical Example

Let's print a simple multiplication table:

number = 5

for i in range(1, 11):
    print(f"{number} × {i} = {number * i}")

Output:

5 × 1 = 5
5 × 2 = 10
5 × 3 = 15
...
5 × 10 = 50

Instead of manually writing ten calculations, the for loop handles them automatically.

When Should You Use a for Loop?

Use a for loop when you want to iterate over something, such as:

• A list of items

• Characters in a string

• A range of numbers

• Tuple or set elements

• Dictionary items

• Other Python iterables

Once you get comfortable with for loops, you'll find them everywhere in Python. They're one of the main tools for processing collections and repeating tasks efficiently.