Iterator Design Pattern

Video Lecture

Section	Video Links
Iterator Overview
Iterator Use Case
Python iter() Function

Overview

The Iterator will commonly contain two methods that perform the following concepts.

• next: returns the next object in the aggregate (collection, object).
• has_next: returns a Boolean indicating if the Iterable is at the end of the iteration or not.

The benefits of using the Iterator pattern are that the client can traverse a collection of aggregates(objects) without needing to understand their internal representations and/or data structures.

Terminology

• Iterator Interface: The Interface for an object to implement.
• Concrete Iterator: (Iterable) The instantiated object that implements the iterator and contains a collection of aggregates.
• Aggregate Interface: An interface for defining an aggregate (object).
• Concrete Aggregate: The object that implements the Aggregate interface.

Iterator UML Diagram

Source Code

In this concept example, I create 4 objects called Aggregate and group them into a collection.

They are very minimal objects that implement one method that prints a line.

I then create an Iterable and pass in the collection of Aggregates.

I can now traverse the aggregates through the Iterable interface.

./iterator/iterator_concept.py

# pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
# pylint: disable=arguments-differ
"The Iterator Pattern Concept"
from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod

class IIterator(metaclass=ABCMeta):
    "An Iterator Interface"
    @staticmethod
    @abstractmethod
    def has_next():
        "Returns Boolean whether at end of collection or not"

    @staticmethod
    @abstractmethod
    def next():
        "Return the object in collection"

class Iterable(IIterator):
    "The concrete iterator (iterable)"

    def __init__(self, aggregates):
        self.index = 0
        self.aggregates = aggregates

    def next(self):
        if self.index < len(self.aggregates):
            aggregate = self.aggregates[self.index]
            self.index += 1
            return aggregate
        raise Exception("AtEndOfIteratorException", "At End of Iterator")

    def has_next(self):
        return self.index < len(self.aggregates)

class IAggregate(metaclass=ABCMeta):
    "An interface that the aggregates should implement"
    @staticmethod
    @abstractmethod
    def method():
        "a method to implement"

class Aggregate(IAggregate):
    "A concrete object"
    @staticmethod
    def method():
        print("This method has been invoked")

# The Client
AGGREGATES = [Aggregate(), Aggregate(), Aggregate(), Aggregate()]
# AGGREGATES is a python list that is already iterable by default.

# but we can create own own iterator on top anyway.
ITERABLE = Iterable(AGGREGATES)

while ITERABLE.has_next():
    ITERABLE.next().method()

Output

python ./iterator/iterator_concept.py
This method has been invoked
This method has been invoked
This method has been invoked
This method has been invoked

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Example Use Case

One reason for not using the inbuilt Python data structures that implement iterators already, or using the iter function directly over an existing collection, is in the case when you want to create an object that can dynamically create iterated objects, you want a custom order of objects or an infinite iterator.

The iterator in this brief example will return the next number in the iterator multiplied by 2 modulus 11. It dynamically creates the returned object (number) at runtime.

It has no has_next() method since the result is modulated by 11, that will loop the results no matter how large the iterator index is. Furthermore, it will also appear to alternate between a series of even numbers and odd numbers.

Also, just to demonstrate that implementing abstract classes and interfaces is not always necessary, this example uses no abstract base classes or interfaces.

Example UML Diagram

Source Code

./iterator/client.py

"The Iterator Pattern Concept"


class NumberWheel():  # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
    "The concrete iterator (iterable)"

    def __init__(self):
        self.index = 0

    def next(self):
        """Return a new number next in the wheel"""
        self.index = self.index + 1
        return self.index * 2 % 11


# The Client
NUMBERWHEEL = NumberWheel()

for i in range(22):
    print(NUMBERWHEEL.next(), end=", ")

Output

python ./iterator/client.py
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 0,

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New Coding Concepts

Python iter()

Python Lists, Dictionaries, Sets and Tuples are already iterable, so if you want basic iteration for use in a for loop, then you only need to add your objects into one of those, and it can be used right away.

NAMES = ['SEAN','COSMO','EMMY']
for name in NAMES:
    print(name, end=", ")
#SEAN, COSMO, EMMY,

Also, you can instantiate an iterable from the List, Dictionary, Tuple or Set by using the Python iter() method, or its own __iter__() dunder method, and then iterate over that using the __next__() method.

NAMES = ['SEAN','COSMO','EMMY']
ITERATOR = iter(NAMES)
print(ITERATOR.__next__())
print(ITERATOR.__next__())
print(ITERATOR.__next__())

Or

NAMES = ['SEAN','COSMO','EMMY']
ITERATOR = NAMES.__iter__()
print(ITERATOR.__next__())
print(ITERATOR.__next__())
print(ITERATOR.__next__())

The Python iter() method also can accept a sentinel parameter.

The sentinel parameter is useful for dynamically created objects that are returned from an iterator and indicates where the last item is in the iterator by raising a StopIteration exception.

Usage : iter(object, sentinel)

When using the sentinel, the object passed as the first argument in the iter() method will need to be callable.

class Doubler():
    count = 1

    @classmethod
    def next(cls):
        cls.count *= 2
        return cls.count

    __call__ = next

ITERATOR = iter(Doubler(), 32)
print(list(ITERATOR))
# Outputs [2, 4, 8, 16]

The __call__ = next line in the example above is setting the default method of the class to be next and that makes the class callable. See Dunder call Method for more information.

Also note that the list being printed at the end is automatically filled from the iterator. The list constructor utilizes the default callable method and the StopIteration exception automatically during its creation without needing to write this in the code.

Summary

• There are many ways to create Iterators. They are already built into Python and used instead of creating custom classes.
• Use an iterator when you need to traverse over a collection, or you want an object that can output a series of dynamically created objects.
• At minimum, an iterator needs a next equivalent method that returns an object.
• Optionally you can also create a helper function that indicates whether an iterator is at the end or not. This is useful if you use your iterator in a while loop.
• Alternatively, use the sentinel option of the Python iter() method to indicate the last iteration. Note that the Iterator object needs to be callable. Set the __call__ reference to its next method.