Python while Loop – Comprehensive Guide with Examples

Python while Loop – Complete Guide with Examples

The while loop in Python is a fundamental control structure used to execute a block of code repeatedly as long as a given condition is True. It is particularly useful when the number of iterations is not known in advance.


πŸ“Œ Syntax of while Loop


while condition:
    # code block to execute repeatedly

Note: The condition is evaluated before each iteration. If it's True, the code block runs. If it's False, the loop ends.


1️⃣ Example: Basic Counter


counter = 1
while counter <= 5:
    print("Counter is:", counter)
    counter += 1

Output:


Counter is: 1
Counter is: 2
Counter is: 3
Counter is: 4
Counter is: 5

🧠 Explanation:

  • counter = 1 initializes the loop.
  • counter <= 5 is the condition being checked.
  • print() displays the current count.
  • counter += 1 increases the value by 1 each loop.
πŸ”” Important: Always ensure that the condition eventually becomes false, or you’ll create an infinite loop!

2️⃣ Example: while with User Input


password = ""
while password != "admin123":
    password = input("Enter password: ")
print("Access granted!")

Output:


Enter password: guest
Enter password: pass123
Enter password: admin123
Access granted!

🧠 Explanation:

  • The loop runs until the user types admin123.
  • input() reads user input during each iteration.
πŸ’‘ Note: This is a basic way to create login-style checks using while loops.

3️⃣ Example: Skipping Iteration with continue


i = 0
while i < 7:
    i += 1
    if i == 4:
        continue
    print("Number:", i)

Output:


Number: 1
Number: 2
Number: 3
Number: 5
Number: 6
Number: 7

⚠️ Caution: When i == 4, the continue skips the print statement and moves to the next iteration.


4️⃣ Example: Stopping Loop Early with break


x = 10
while x > 0:
    print("Value:", x)
    if x == 6:
        break
    x -= 1

Output:


Value: 10
Value: 9
Value: 8
Value: 7
Value: 6

🧠 Explanation:

  • When x becomes 6, break stops the loop immediately.
πŸ”’ Note: Use break to exit loops when a condition is met, even if the main condition is still True.

5️⃣ Example: Infinite Loop (⚠️ Use with Care)


while True:
    user_input = input("Type 'exit' to stop: ")
    if user_input == "exit":
        break
    print("You typed:", user_input)

Output: (runs until "exit" is typed)


Type 'exit' to stop: hello
You typed: hello
Type 'exit' to stop: test
You typed: test
Type 'exit' to stop: exit
⚠️ Caution: while True creates an infinite loop unless you add break to stop it.

πŸ“‹ Common Use Cases of while Loop

  • Running code until user input is valid
  • Creating loading screens or animations
  • Game loops and server processes
  • Polling or repeated checking of conditions

πŸ› ️ Example: Menu-Based Program


choice = ""
while choice != "3":
    print("\nMenu:")
    print("1. Say Hello")
    print("2. Show Info")
    print("3. Exit")
    choice = input("Choose an option: ")

    if choice == "1":
        print("Hello there!")
    elif choice == "2":
        print("Python is powerful.")
    elif choice == "3":
        print("Exiting...")
    else:
        print("Invalid choice.")
Tip: You can use while loops to build simple interactive CLI apps like this.

πŸ”š Summary

  • while loop is used when the number of iterations is not known beforehand.
  • Use break to exit early from a loop.
  • Use continue to skip a particular iteration.
  • Infinite loops should always have a breaking condition to avoid freezing the program.
πŸ’¬ Practice Challenge: Write a program that asks users to guess a number between 1 and 10 using a while loop. Give hints like "Too low!" or "Too high!" until the correct number is guessed.

πŸ§ͺ Extra Practice Examples

Example: Print Even Numbers from 2 to 10


num = 2
while num <= 10:
    print(num)
    num += 2

Example: Sum of Numbers Until 0 is Entered


total = 0
while True:
    n = int(input("Enter number (0 to stop): "))
    if n == 0:
        break
    total += n
print("Total sum:", total)

πŸ“š Practice Questions:


πŸ“š Related Topics:


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    Stage 9: Reinforcement Learning & Advanced Topics
    
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    9. Reinforcement Learning & Advanced Topics
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    10. Deployment, Production & MLOps
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    10.1 Model Serving & APIs
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    Stage 11: Real-World Projects & Portfolio
    
    ----------------------------------------
    11. Real-World Projects & Portfolio
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    11.1 Project Ideas by Domain
        • Tabular Data: Predictive analytics (e.g., churn prediction)
        • NLP: Chatbot, summarizer, translation prototype
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    11.4 Soft Skills & Communication
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        • Networking: sharing work on LinkedIn, GitHub
    
    πŸ›  Tools: GitHub Pages, Streamlit, Heroku/Netlify, Docker
        
    Stage 12: Ethics, Explainability & Continuous Learning
    
    ----------------------------------------
    12. Ethics, Explainability & Continuous Learning
    ----------------------------------------
    12.1 AI Ethics & Responsible AI
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    12.2 Explainable AI (XAI)
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        • Interpreting black-box models vs inherently interpretable models
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    12.3 Continuous Learning & Staying Updated
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        • Reading codebases of popular libraries, exploring new architectures
        • Community involvement: forums, study groups
    
    12.4 Advanced Research Topics (Optional/For Aspirants)
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        • Contributing to academic research or advanced industrial research
    
    πŸ›  Tools: arXiv, Google Scholar alerts, RSS readers, community forums
        

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