Writing better loops

Writing Efficient Python Code

Logan Thomas

Scientific Software Technical Trainer, Enthought

Lesson caveat

Some of the following loops can be eliminated with techniques covered in previous lessons.
Examples in this lesson are used for demonstrative purposes.

alt=”Warning sign with text Warning: for demonstration purposes only”

Writing better loops

Understand what is being done with each loop iteration
Move one-time calculations outside (above) the loop
Use holistic conversions outside (below) the loop
Anything that is done once should be outside the loop

Moving calculations above a loop

import numpy as np

names = ['Absol', 'Aron', 'Jynx', 'Natu', 'Onix']
attacks = np.array([130, 70, 50, 50, 45])

for pokemon,attack in zip(names, attacks):

    total_attack_avg = attacks.mean()

    if attack > total_attack_avg:
        print(
            "{}'s attack: {} > average: {}!"
            .format(pokemon, attack, total_attack_avg)
        )

Absol's attack: 130 > average: 69.0!
Aron's attack: 70 > average: 69.0!

import numpy as np

names = ['Absol', 'Aron', 'Jynx', 'Natu', 'Onix']
attacks = np.array([130, 70, 50, 50, 45])

# Calculate total average once (outside the loop)
total_attack_avg = attacks.mean()

for pokemon,attack in zip(names, attacks):

    if attack > total_attack_avg:
        print(
            "{}'s attack: {} > average: {}!"
            .format(pokemon, attack, total_attack_avg)
        )

Absol's attack: 130 > average: 69.0!
Aron's attack: 70 > average: 69.0!

Moving calculations above a loop

%%timeit
for pokemon,attack in zip(names, attacks):

    total_attack_avg = attacks.mean()

    if attack > total_attack_avg:
        print(
            "{}'s attack: {} > average: {}!"
            .format(pokemon, attack, total_attack_avg)
        )

74.9 µs ± 3.42 µs per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 10000 loops each)

Moving calculations above a loop

%%timeit
# Calculate total average once (outside the loop)
total_attack_avg = attacks.mean()

for pokemon,attack in zip(names, attacks):

    if attack > total_attack_avg:
        print(
            "{}'s attack: {} > average: {}!"
            .format(pokemon, attack, total_attack_avg)
        )

37.5 µs ± 281 ns per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 10000 loops each)

Using holistic conversions

names = ['Pikachu', 'Squirtle', 'Articuno', ...]
legend_status = [False, False, True, ...]
generations = [1, 1, 1, ...]

poke_data = []
for poke_tuple in zip(names, legend_status, generations):

    poke_list = list(poke_tuple)

    poke_data.append(poke_list)

print(poke_data)

[['Pikachu', False, 1], ['Squirtle', False, 1], ['Articuno', True, 1], ...]

Using holistic conversions

names = ['Pikachu', 'Squirtle', 'Articuno', ...]
legend_status = [False, False, True, ...]
generations = [1, 1, 1, ...]

poke_data_tuples = []
for poke_tuple in zip(names, legend_status, generations):
    poke_data_tuples.append(poke_tuple)

poke_data = [*map(list, poke_data_tuples)]

print(poke_data)

[['Pikachu', False, 1], ['Squirtle', False, 1], ['Articuno', True, 1], ...]

%%timeit
poke_data = []
for poke_tuple in zip(names, legend_status, generations):
    poke_list = list(poke_tuple)
    poke_data.append(poke_list)

261 µs ± 23.2 µs per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 1000 loops each)

%%timeit
poke_data_tuples = []
for poke_tuple in zip(names, legend_status, generations):
    poke_data_tuples.append(poke_tuple)

poke_data = [*map(list, poke_data_tuples)]

224 µs ± 1.67 µs per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 1000 loops each)

Time for some practice!

Writing Efficient Python Code