> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hopemoore.gitbook.io/coding-for-creatives/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hopemoore.gitbook.io/coding-for-creatives/glossary/loops.md).

# Loops

Loops are a way of making code appear "cleaner" and more efficient when repeated code is used.

## Parts of a Loop

1. Kind of loop     (e.g. while, for, foreach)
2. Initialization of a **control variable**       (e.g. int count = 1; int i = 0; etc.)\
   A **control variable** is a temporary variable used to iterate (increase or decrease) to limit the number of times a loop code runs.
3. Test conditions     (What needs to be true?)
4. Update the control variable      (e.g. i++; i -= 5; etc.)
5. Action to take      (What is in the code block) 

## Types of Loops

[While loops](/coding-for-creatives/glossary/loops/while-loops.md)

[For loops](/coding-for-creatives/glossary/loops/for-loops.md)

[Foreach loops](/coding-for-creatives/glossary/loops/foreach-loops.md)

## Nested Loops

A loop INSIDE a loop? ? Heck, yeah!

The loops work the same inside other loops, BUT a different control variable will need to be used.

Generally, since i is often used, nested loops continue the alphabet: j, then k, then l...

Example:

```java
String[] names = { "Fluffy", "Nugget", "Pumpkin" };

for (int i = 0; i < names.length; i++) {
	for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
		println(names[i]);
	}
}
```

Prints:

> Fluffy\
> Fluffy\
> Fluffy\
> Nugget\
> Nugget\
> Nugget\
> Pumpkin\
> Pumpkin\
> Pumpkin