Avoid else Blocks After for and while Loops in Python

Hi Pythonistas!,

Today I’m sharing a piece of Python code that’s unique to the language — 
but honestly, every time I see it, I have to Google how exactly it works.

Yes, I’m talking about else blocks on for and while loops.

❓ What does it even do?

for item in items:
    if item == target:
        print("Found!")
        break
else:
    print("Not found.")

The else block runs only if the loop completes fully without a break. If a break is triggered, the else block is skipped.

⚠️ Why this is confusing

• Most devs expect else to pair with if, not loops.
• It’s easy to misread or misuse.
• Even experienced devs sometimes second-guess what it’s doing.

✅ Better: Use a Flag

found = False
for item in items:
    if item == target:
        found = True
        print("Found!")
        break

if not found:
    print("Not found.")

Much clearer, and future-you will thank you.

Even Better for Simple Checks

if any(item == target for item in items):
    print("Found!")
else:
    print("Not found.")

✅ Clean
✅ Pythonic
✅ Beginner-friendly

When is else after a loop okay?
Only when:

• You really care whether the loop ended without breaking.
• Everyone reading your code knows this pattern.
• Clarity isn’t sacrificed.
• You are working on your hobby projects.

TL;DR
Avoid else after loops in most cases.It’s valid — but rarely worth the confusion.Use flags or built-in functions like any() instead.