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iterator
This term is primarily used within the technical registers of computer science and mathematics. In programming, it refers to a specific design pattern or object that abstracts the process of traversing a data structure, allowing the developer to access elements sequentially without needing to understand the underlying implementation of the collection.
While it can refer to a person or a physical device in a broader algorithmic sense, the word is almost exclusively encountered in software engineering contexts. It is distinct from a loop (the control structure) in that the iterator is the object that tracks the current position and provides the next element.
Meanings
An object in computer programming that allows a programmer to traverse through a collection of data, such as a list or an array, one element at a time.
The developer used an iterator to loop through the list of user IDs.
A person or a device that performs a repetitive process or iteration, particularly in mathematical or algorithmic contexts.
The software acts as an iterator, refining the approximation of the root with each cycle.