What is the Role of the iter and next Methods in Python Iterators?

Photo by JJ Ying on Unsplash

In Python, the iter and next methods are fundamental to the concept of iterators. They enable iteration over iterable objects like lists, tuples, and custom objects.

Key Features and Roles

1. iter Method:

• Purpose: The iter method is used to initialize an iterator. It returns an iterator object from an iterable.
• Implementation: An object needs to implement the __iter__() method to be an iterable.
• Usage: It is commonly used in for-loops and other iteration contexts.

2. next Method:

• Purpose: The next method retrieves the next item from an iterator. It moves the iteration one step forward.
• Implementation: An iterator needs to implement the __next__() method.
• Usage: It can be called explicitly to get the next item, and it raises a StopIteration exception when there are no more items.

Example of Using iter and next

Here’s a simple example demonstrating the use of iter and next:

Step 1: Creating an Iterable Object