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Use for _ in range(n): to run a block a fixed number of times, while to repeat until a condition changes, and itertools.repeat() or itertools.cycle() when you need repeated values from an iterator. To build a repeated list or string, use sequence multiplication. The right choice depends on whether you want to repeat actions, function calls, one value, or an entire sequence.

Repeat a block of code a fixed number of times

Use a for loop with range(n) when you know how many times the block should run. The loop variable can be _ when you do not need its value:

for _ in range(4):
    print("Hello")

This prints Hello four times. range(4) yields 0, 1, 2, and 3: the endpoint is excluded, so range(n) yields n values for a positive integer n. A range yields its numbers as needed rather than first building a list. See the Python Tutorial’s explanation of for loops and range.

A for loop is not limited to counting. It can iterate directly over any iterable, including a list of names or a string:

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for name in ["Ada", "Grace", "Guido"]:
    print(name)

When you are processing items from a collection, iterate over those items directly instead of using an index range unless you specifically need the indexes.

Repeat code while a condition holds

Use while condition: when the number of repetitions depends on a condition, such as reading input until the user enters a stop word. Make sure the loop body can change the condition or use break to exit; otherwise, the loop may never stop.

attempts = 0
while attempts < 3:
    print("Try again")
    attempts += 1

Here, incrementing attempts eventually makes the condition false. Use break when a specific event should end a loop early; it works with either for or while. The Python Tutorial’s control-flow guide covers loop exits and iteration behavior.

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Call a function repeatedly

Put the function call inside a loop. Loop over argument values when each call should receive a different argument:

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def greet(name):
    print(f"Hello, {name}")

for name in ["Ada", "Grace", "Guido"]:
    greet(name)

If you are transforming items rather than performing a side effect, map(function, iterable) can express the repeated calls as an iterator. For a function that takes multiple arguments, itertools.starmap(function, iterable_of_argument_tuples) calls it with each tuple unpacked as arguments. Use an ordinary loop when it makes the behavior easier to read.

Repeat a value or sequence with itertools

The itertools helpers produce iterators; they do not run an arbitrary block of statements. Choose between them based on what should repeat:

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Need Use Behavior
The same object repeatedly itertools.repeat(value, count) Yields that object the specified number of times. Omitting count makes it unbounded.
Every item of an iterable repeatedly itertools.cycle(iterable) Replays the iterable’s elements indefinitely and saves a copy of them.
A Cartesian product with repeated dimensions itertools.product(iterable, repeat=n) Repeats the input as product dimensions; it does not replay the input sequence.

Use repeat for the same value

For example, repeat(2) supplies the number 2 again and again. Pair an unbounded iterator with a finite input when using it in a pipeline:

from itertools import repeat

powers = map(pow, range(5), repeat(2))
print(list(powers))  # [0, 1, 4, 9, 16]

range(5) supplies five bases, so map stops after five calls even though repeat(2) has no end. Do not consume an unbounded repeat(value) by itself without a stopping mechanism. The itertools reference documents the optional count.

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Use cycle to replay an iterable

cycle(iterable) repeats all elements of its input, preserving their order. It saves a copy of the input elements, so it is a poor fit for a very large or unbounded source. See the Functional Programming HOWTO for its iterator behavior.

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Do not confuse product with replay

product(items, repeat=4) makes a Cartesian product using items as four dimensions; it does not yield the sequence four times. The input iterables are consumed into pools before product iteration, so use finite inputs. Details are in the itertools reference.

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Build a repeated list or string

Use sequence multiplication when you want a new repeated sequence rather than repeated execution:

labels = ["draft"] * 3
sound = "ha" * 3  # "hahaha"

Strings are immutable, so repeating a string in a list is safe. With a mutable item, multiplication repeats references to the same object:

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rows = [[]] * 3
rows[0].append("x")
print(rows)  # [["x"], ["x"], ["x"]]

To create independent inner lists, use a comprehension:

rows = [[] for _ in range(3)]

Python’s built-in types documentation describes sequence multiplication and the distinct behavior of range, which is not a sequence that supports multiplication.

Choose the method that matches the repetition

  • Run statements a known number of times: use for _ in range(n).
  • Run statements until a condition changes: use while, and provide a way for it to stop.
  • Call a function with different inputs: loop over the inputs; use map or starmap when an iterator-based transformation suits the code.
  • Supply one value repeatedly: use itertools.repeat, bounded by a count or another finite iterator.
  • Replay the elements of an iterable: use itertools.cycle only when its saved copy is practical.
  • Create a repeated list or string: use sequence multiplication, taking care with mutable references.

If you need to modify a collection while looping over it, avoid casually changing the same collection you are traversing. The Python Tutorial recommends iterating over a copy or building a new collection for such cases.

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