Django for Loop: Iterating Over Collections in Templates

Introduction

Django provides a powerful template language that includes a for loop construct. With the for loop, you can iterate over collections, such as lists, querysets, or dictionaries, and perform operations on each item. In this guide, we will explore how to use the for loop in Django templates with examples.

Step 1: Basic for Loop

The for loop allows you to iterate over a collection and execute a block of code for each item. Here's an example:

<ul>
{% for item in my_list %}
    <li>{{ item }}</li>
{% endfor %}
</ul>
    

In this example, we use the {% for %} and {% endfor %} tags to define the for loop. The loop iterates over the my_list collection, and for each item, it outputs a list item element containing the value of the item.

Step 2: Accessing Loop Variables

Within the for loop, you have access to loop variables that provide additional information about the iteration. Here's an example:

{% for item in my_list %}
    <p>{{ forloop.counter }}. {{ item }}</p>
{% endfor %}
    

In this example, we use the {{ forloop.counter }} variable to display the current iteration count. The output will be a paragraph element with the iteration count followed by the value of each item in the my_list collection.

Step 3: Nested for Loops

You can also nest for loops to iterate over multiple collections simultaneously. Here's an example:

{% for category in categories %}
    <h2>{{ category.name }}</h2>
    <ul>
    {% for item in category.items %}
        <li>{{ item.name }}: ${{ item.price }}</li>
    {% endfor %}
    </ul>
{% endfor %}
    

In this example, we iterate over a collection of categories. Within each category, we iterate over a nested collection of items. The output will be a hierarchical structure with headings for each category and a list of items within each category.

Conclusion

The for loop in Django templates provides a powerful way to iterate over collections and perform operations on each item. By following this guide, you have learned how to use the for loop in Django templates, access loop variables, and even nest for loops to handle more complex scenarios. With the flexibility of the for loop, you can create dynamic and data-driven templates in your Django web applications.