Iterable
An iterable is an object or value that provides or supports a protocol for producing its elements sequentially.
Python Workout, Second Edition
An iterable is a Python object that can provide its elements one at a time for iteration.
- How it is used
- Uses iterables to drive for loops, comprehensions, argument unpacking, and transformations across Python data structures.
- How deep it goes
- Defines the iterator protocol and distinguishes iterables from iterators, while deferring deeper protocol practice to custom iterators and generators.
- Examples
- Demonstrates strings, lists, dictionaries, files, ranges, numeric joining, hexadecimal conversion, comprehensions, and custom enumeration.
- What you can do after
- Build iterable classes and generator functions, then diagnose for-loop behavior through __iter__, __next__, and StopIteration.
Python How-To
- How it is used
- Uses iterables to feed loops, container constructors, and string joining without requiring manual indexing.
- How deep it goes
- Explains iteration through iter(), next(), and StopIteration, then tests iterability and works through constructor-based uses.
- Examples
- Shows task ID–title pairs built with dict(zip()), numeric strings converted with map(), and lists created from ranges.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via Python built-ins to test iterability and create or process containers without unnecessary indexing loops.
Python Workout: 50 ten-minute exercises
An iterable is a Python object that can provide its elements sequentially to an iteration process.
- How it is used
- Deploys iterables as common inputs for for loops, comprehensions, built-in functions, argument unpacking, and generator expressions.
- How deep it goes
- Descends from everyday loops to __iter__, __next__, StopIteration, custom iterator classes, generators, and generator expressions.
- Examples
- Demonstrates lists, strings, dictionaries, files, range, comprehensions, argument unpacking, custom iterators, and hexadecimal conversion.
- What you can do after
- Build iterable classes, apply comprehensions and generator expressions, unpack iterable arguments, and distinguish iterable from non-iterable objects.
Read how Python Workout: 50 ten-minute exercises explains iterable →
Get Programming with JavaScript Next: New features of ECMAScript 2015, 2016, and beyond
An object or value that can be traversed element by element by the iteration protocol.
- How it is used
- Uses iterables to visit values with `for..of` and collect them with spread across built-in and custom objects.
- How deep it goes
- Explains `Symbol.iterator`, iterator creation, `next()`, `value`, and `done`, then shows a generator as a shorter implementation.
- Examples
- Uses prime-number iterators, string-character spread, and an exercise that takes ten values from an infinite iterable.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch with `Symbol.iterator` and `next()`, or use a generator; customize iteration and consume infinite iterables selectively.
Practices of the Python Pro
- How it is used
- Uses iterables to discuss Python data traversal, memory efficiency, and helper functions such as max.
- How deep it goes
- Defines iteration, compares collection storage with generators, and explains yield behavior without developing protocol internals.
- Examples
- Uses for loops, range-like generators, squared-number generators, and maximum-frequency lookup over dictionary data.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via Python loops, generators, and iterable-aware functions while reducing unnecessary memory use.
The Joy of JavaScript
An iterable is an object or value that can be consumed by an iteration protocol to produce a sequence of elements.
- How it is used
- Supports uniform consumption of domain objects, custom collections, generated sequences, and streams through standard JavaScript syntax.
- How deep it goes
- Explains Symbol.iterator, next, value, done, generators, async iteration, and early termination, but defers complete protocol details.
- Examples
- Uses blockchain models, transaction blocks, random-number iterators, strings, generated blocks, and Validation branches.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch by implementing Symbol.iterator or a generator, then consume custom sequences with for...of, spread, or destructuring.
100 Java Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Iterable is a Java interface whose objects can provide an Iterator for traversing their elements.
- How it is used
- Uses Iterable to expose traversal through enhanced-for loops and general collection utilities.
- How deep it goes
- Explains enhanced-for mechanics and iterator contracts, then demonstrates stateful and buffered implementations.
- Examples
- Demonstrates numeric ranges, Collections.min(), BufferedReader lines, and IntStream.range().iterator().
- What you can do after
- Builds contract-compliant custom iterators and diagnose implementations that depend on enhanced-for-only call patterns.
Read how 100 Java Mistakes and How to Avoid Them explains iterable →
Related concepts
- sortedused by · sorted is a Python built-in function that returns a new list containing an iterable’s elements in sorted order without modifying the original iterable.
- enumerateused by · enumerate is an iteration utility that yields pairs containing sequential indices and corresponding items from an iterable, optionally starting at a specified index.
- zipused by · Zip is an operation that combines corresponding elements from multiple iterables or collections into paired or otherwise combined results.
- generatorincludes · A generator is a language construct or computation that produces values incrementally on demand, typically suspending and resuming while preserving its state.
- eductionproduced by · eduction is a Clojure function that applies one or more transducers lazily to a collection and returns a non-caching sequential view of the transformed results.
- __iter__uses · __iter__ is a Python special method that returns an iterator for an object.
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