Python Generator and Yield - Example

python_generator_yield.md

This example illustrate the use of Python generator. (it's like callback function in JavaScript - sort of.)

Example 1

Create a matrix and print result:

M = [[1,2,3],    # this row sum to 6
     [4,5,6],    # this row sum to 15
     [7,8,9]]    # this row sum to 24

print(M)
# -> [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]

Create a Python generator and print result:

G = (sum(row) for row in M) # create a generator of row sums
print(G)
# <generator object <genexpr> at 0x116810258>

Run the iteration protocol:

print(next(G)) #
# -> 6

again...

print(next(G)) #
# -> 15

again...

print(next(G)) #
# -> 24

As we see, each next() activate the Generator compute values and forget on the fly.

Example 2

Create a matrix and print result:

M = [[1,2,3],    # this row sum to 6
     [4,5,6],    # this row sum to 15
     [7,8,9]]    # this row sum to 24

print(M)
# -> [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]

Create a new generator - use this as a syntatic sugar:

G = (row for row in M)
print(G)
# -> <generator object <genexpr> at 0x1167460f8>

for a in G:
    print(a)

#    [1, 2, 3]
#    [4, 5, 6]
#    [7, 8, 9]

Example 3

Illusrate Python Yield statement.

Say we want to print the first n fibonacci numbers. Use yield to compute the new fibonacci number, forget the old one right away, to save memory. (i.e. we compute and forget on the fly).

Define the function:

def fibonacci(n):
    curr = 1
    prev = 0
    counter = 0
    while counter < n:
        yield curr
        prev, curr = curr, prev + curr
        counter += 1

Create a generator.

G = fibonacci(10)
print(G)
# <generator object fibonacci at 0x116716f68>

Compute the 1st fibonacci number on the fly, and forget straight away afterwards.

print(next(G))
# 1

Compute the 2nd fibonacci number on the fly, and forget straight away afterwards.

print(next(G))
# 1

Compute the 3rd fibonacci number on the fly, and forget straight away afterwards.

print(next(G))
# 2

4th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 3

5th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 5

6th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 8

7th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 13

8th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 21

9th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 34

10th fibonacci number...

print(next(G))
# 55

We are done. If we try this step again...

print(next(G))

We will get an error saying we are exceeding our iteration limit:

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    StopIteration                             Traceback (most recent call last)

    <ipython-input-64-cccebc38bfde> in <module>()
    ----> 1 print(next(G))
    

    StopIteration: 

Conclusion

This post summarises some typical usage of Python Generator and yield.

# Reference

• Python Central - python generators and yield keyword.

thank you