> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://devops-3.gitbook.io/devops/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://devops-3.gitbook.io/devops/docs/module-3-bash-scripting/loops.md).

# Loops

Like any other programming language, Bash supports loops. 

The loops are used to repeatedly execute a set of commands based on some condition.

With Bash you can use for loops, while loops, and until loops.

### For Loop

The for loop operates on lists of items. It repeats a set of commands for every item in a list.

```bash
#/bin/bash
for <var> in <value1 value2 ... valuen>
do
   <command 1>
   <command 2>
   <etc>
done
```

Example

```bash
#!/bin/bash 

users="bobby tony" 

for user in ${users} 

do 
echo "${user}" 
done
```

### While Loop

A while loop is a statement that iterates over a block of code till the condition specified is evaluated to false.

```bash
#/bin/bash
while <condition>
do
   <command 1>
   <command 2>
   <etc>
done
```

Example:

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
#!/bin/bash 
read -p "What is your name? " name 

while [[ -z ${name} ]] 

do 
echo "Your name can not be blank. Please enter a valid name!" 
read -p "Enter your name again? " name 
done 
echo "Hi there ${name}"
```

{% endcode %}

### Until Loop

The until loop is executed as many times as the condition/command evaluates to false.&#x20;

The loop terminates when the condition/command becomes true.

```bash
#/bin/bash
until <condition>
do
   <command 1>
   <command 2>
   <etc>
done
```

Example:

<pre class="language-bash"><code class="lang-bash">#!/bin/bash 
count=1 
until [[ $count -gt 10 ]] 
do 
<strong>    echo $count ((count++)) 
</strong>done
</code></pre>