Python while Loop With Examples

In Python programming language there are two loops for..in loop and while loop. In this tutorial you’ll learn about while loop in Python which is used to repeatedly execute the loop body while the given condition evaluates to true.

Table of contents

Syntax of Python while loop
while loop flow
Python while loop examples
Python while loop with else statement
Python Nested while loop
Python Nested while loop example

Syntax of Python while loop

Full syntax of while loop in Python is as given below.

while condition:
 while_suite
else:
 else_suite

Here condition is a boolean expression that evaluates to either true or false. Initially condition is checked and if it evaluates to true the statements making up the while_suite are executed. Control then goes back to the start of the loop and condition is checked again if it evaluates to true the statements making up the while_suite are executed again. Same process is followed repeatedly while the condition evaluates to true. When the condition evaluates to false control comes out of the while loop.

The else statement in the while loop is optional. The else_suite is executed if the while loop terminates normally and if the optional else statement is present.

while loop flow

Python while loop examples

1- To display numbers 1..10 using while loop in Python.

i = 1
while i <= 10:
    print(i)
    i+=1

print('Out of while loop')

Output

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Out of while loop

In the example i <= 10 is the condition for the while loop. While this condition is true loop body which are the following two indented statements are executed.

    print(i)
    i+=1

When value of i becomes greater than 10 control comes out of while loop.

2- Displaying table of 5 using while loop in Python.

i = 1
while i <= 10:
    print(5, 'X', i, '=', (i*5))
    i+=1

Output

5 X 1 = 5
5 X 2 = 10
5 X 3 = 15
5 X 4 = 20
5 X 5 = 25
5 X 6 = 30
5 X 7 = 35
5 X 8 = 40
5 X 9 = 45
5 X 10 = 50

Python while loop with else statement

In Python, while loop has an optional else statement too. If the while loop runs till completion and terminates the else-suite is executed.

If while loop doesn’t run completely because of any of the following reason, else statement is not executed.

while loop is terminated abruptly due to a break statement
while loop is terminated abruptly due to a return statement
if an exception is raised

In the following example else_suite is executed as the while loop completes normally.

i = 1
while i <= 10:
    print(i)
    i+=1
else:
    print('in else block')

Output

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
in else block

Now, if we break the while loop abruptly, else-suite won’t be executed.

i = 1
while i <= 10:
    print(i)
    i+=1
    if i > 5:
        break
else:
    print('in else block')

Output

Nested while loop in Python

while loop can be nested which means you can have one while loop inside another (or even for loop inside while loop). In the nested loops for each iteration of the outer while loop, inner while loop is iterated while the condition of inner while loop evaluates to true.

Python Nested while loop example

Suppose you want to print inverted right triangle using asterisk (*) symbol, following example shows one way to do it using nested while loops in Python.

rows = 6
while rows > 0:
    j = 1
    # inner while
    while j <= rows:
        # end='' to ensure print remains on the same line
        print('* ', end='')
        j += 1
    # for outer while
    rows = rows - 1
    print()

Output

* * * * * * 
* * * * * 
* * * * 
* * * 
* * 
*

That's all for this topic Python while Loop With Examples. If you have any doubt or any suggestions to make please drop a comment. Thanks!

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Sunday, June 26, 2022