Can You Code Something Continuous With Out Iterations

Introduction to Python Infinite Loop

An Infinite Loop in Python is a continuous repetitive conditional loop that gets executed until an external factor interferes in the execution flow, like insufficient CPU memory, a failed feature/ error code that stopped the execution, or a new feature in the other legacy systems that needs code integration. A few types of Infinite Loop in Python include the While statement, the If statement, the Continue statement, and the Break statement.

When are Infinite Loops Necessary?

An infinite loop may be useful in client/server programming where the server needs to run with continuity so that the client programs may communicate with the server program whenever the necessity arises. It may also be helpful if a new connection needs to be created. There is the utility of a while loop in a gaming application or an application where we enter some sort of main event loop, which continues to run until the user selects an action to break that infinite loop. Also, if one has to play a game and wishes the game to reset after each session. Iterations are the process of doing a repetitive task, and computer programs have always mastered this art.

How would we Run an Infinite Loop by Mistake?

It is a very simple program, but noobs may surely miss out on these basic steps and have an infinite loop running in their program.

Code:

As there is no code to increment the value of the integer, it will continue to print that until we terminate the program.

Output:

So, to avoid the unintentional loop, we add the following line to the code.

Code:

And then, the definite number of lines get printed as below in the output.

Code:

Types of Statements in Python Infinite Loop

Below are the different types of statements in Python Infinity Loop:

1. While Statement in Python Infinite Loop

Loops are incredibly powerful, and they are indeed very necessary, but infinite loop boils down as the only pitfall. Python has two types of loops only 'While loop' and 'For loop'. While loop works exactly as the IF statement but in the IF statement, we run the block of code just once, whereas, in a while loop, we jump back to the same point from where the code began. Thus repeating itself until a condition is fulfilled. As we know that loops are infinite or conditional. Python while loop keeps reiterating a block of code that is defined inside of it until a specific desire is met. The while loop has a Boolean expression, and the code inside of the loop is continued as long as the Boolean expression stands true.

Syntax of  While Statement :

            while(expression) statement(s)          

Code:

Output:

As we can see above, the while loop will continue to run until the Boolean expression is TRUE. It is to be noted that the statements that are executed after the while loop can be a single line or even a block of code containing multiple lines. There is one thing that has to be clearly understood. That while loop is entry controlled, meaning that it will never run if the initial test is FALSE.

Code:

The above expression is false; hence nothing will be executed in the output.

2. Using IF statement with While loop

We can impose another statement inside a while loop and break out of the loop. We can use Python Control Statements like 'Break' and 'Continue'. The break is used as a python control statement, and as soon as it is encountered, it skips the whole block's execution. We can use the if-else statement and use the break keyword to come out of the while loop even before completing the condition of the while loop.

3. Using Break Statement

Below is an example that will illustrate the above:

Code:

Output:

Hence, we see here that the flow of the program jumps out of the loop before completing the 10^th iteration and while the loop is terminated and printed in the console.

4. Using Continue Statement

Continue is used as a control statement. As soon as the continue is encountered, the current iteration gets skipped.

Code:

Output:

We see in the output that the numbers are printed from 1 to 9 except 4 as it was a condition that needed to be skipped in the program. So just that iteration is skipped, and we see the program continues until the while condition continues.

Heads or Tails Game

Below is an example of a coin toss game in Python, which is created with the WHILE loop's help. Here is a  text-based game or another example of how to use a while loop. We are importing random class here and also making use of the input() function for the user to read the input. It is just a simple simulation of the flipping of the coins. We would ask the user to either enter 'heads' or 'tails'. A simple game statistics will be applied here by summing up the consequent number of heads and tails that occur.

Code:

Output:

The final output which we get after we input the values I,e 'heads' or 'tails' is as below:

Code:

In the code snippet, we see that the random class generates the random values either 'head' or 'tail' as we have given the options above and stores them in the flip variable. Therefore, when the user's input matches that with the value in flip, then one wins; else one loses, and the while loop keeps running till then. One exit condition is only when 'x' or 'X' is given as input. In that case, the calculated value of the iteration is printed out. This was just a simple illustration of a text-based game made by using a while loop.

Conclusion

As humans find repetitive tasks boring, it makes those tasks quite susceptible to human error. Thus, iterations programs have their utilities and serve as a great help in many applications where it is needed for a loop to run infinitely until it is interrupted. Many simple text-based games can be created by using a while loop.

Recommended Article

This is a guide to Python Infinite Loop. Here we discuss the introduction and different types of Statements along with code implementation. You can also go through our other suggested articles to learn more –

1. Python Break Statement
2. Python Nested Loops
3. Python Sets
4. Python Features

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