Else Statements with Loops in Python

In Python, else statements can be used with loops to execute a block of code once the loop completes normally, meaning no break statement was encountered. This unique feature adds flexibility, allowing different outcomes based on whether the loop was fully executed or exited early.

Key Points on Else with Loops:

• The else block in a loop executes only if the loop completes all its iterations without a break.
• If a break statement terminates the loop early, the else block will not execute.
• This behavior is useful for conditions like searching or validating where the loop should stop early if a condition is met.
• Both for and while loops in Python support an accompanying else statement.

Example of Else with a For Loop:

This example uses a for loop to search for a number in a list. The else statement executes if the number is not found.

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
        search_for = 6
        for num in numbers:
            if num == search_for:
                print("Number found!")
                break
        else:
            print("Number not found!")

Example of Else with a While Loop:

In this example, the while loop runs as long as a counter is less than a limit. The else statement runs when the condition becomes false naturally.

count = 0
        while count < 3:
            print("Counting:", count)
            count += 1
        else:
            print("Counting completed")

Detailed Explanation:

• For Loop with Else: The else block in a for loop can confirm whether a searched element was not found after all iterations.
• While Loop with Else: In a while loop, else executes only if the condition turns false without hitting break.
• Best Practices: Use else with loops to handle outcomes after a full iteration, such as when verifying or searching for elements.

The else statement in Python loops is useful for distinguishing between loops that complete naturally and those that exit early, enabling more refined control flow.