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Functions & basics

Reusable building blocks — parameters, returns, scope, and clear function design.

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Functions & basics easy

How to Use Python's next() Builtin with a Default Sentinel Value

A wrapper function that returns the next item from an iterator, or a default sentinel value when the iterator is exhausted.

next iterator sentinel
Python 
def get_next_or_default(iterator, default=None):
    """Return the next item from an iterator, or default if exhausted."""
    return next(iterator, default)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    fruits = iter(["apple", "banana", "cherry"])
    
    print(get_next_or_default(fruits))           # apple
    print(get_next_or…
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