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edited Apr 13, 2017 at 12:39

Python 3: 15, 17, or 18 characters

mdeitrick's answer mdeitrick's answer is longer in Python 3, which replaces the print statement with a function call (15 chars):

while 1:print()

This remains the shortest I've found in Python 3. However, there are some more-interesting ways of printing in an infinite loop that are only a few characters longer.

print() returns None, which != 9, making it an infinite loop; the 8 is a no-op that substitutes for pass (18 chars):
```
 while print()!=9:8
```
iter(print, 9) defines an iterable that returns the output of print() until it equals 9 (which never happens). any consumes the input iterable looking for a true value, which never arrives since print() always returns None. (You could also use set to the same effect.)
```
 any(iter(print,9))
```
Or, we can consumer the iterable by testing whether it contains 8 (17 chars):
```
 8in iter(print,9)
```
Or, unpack it using the splat operator unpack it using the splat operator:
```
 *_,=iter(print,9)
```
The weirdest way I thought of is to use splat destructuring inside a function call, function(*iterable). It seems that Python tries to consume the entire iterable before even attempting the function call—even if the function call is bogus. This means that we don't even need a real function, because the type error will only be thrown after the iterable is exhausted (i.e. never):
```
 8(*iter(print,9))
```

Python 3: 15, 17, or 18 characters

mdeitrick's answer is longer in Python 3, which replaces the print statement with a function call (15 chars):

while 1:print()

This remains the shortest I've found in Python 3. However, there are some more-interesting ways of printing in an infinite loop that are only a few characters longer.

print() returns None, which != 9, making it an infinite loop; the 8 is a no-op that substitutes for pass (18 chars):
```
 while print()!=9:8
```
iter(print, 9) defines an iterable that returns the output of print() until it equals 9 (which never happens). any consumes the input iterable looking for a true value, which never arrives since print() always returns None. (You could also use set to the same effect.)
```
 any(iter(print,9))
```
Or, we can consumer the iterable by testing whether it contains 8 (17 chars):
```
 8in iter(print,9)
```
Or, unpack it using the splat operator:
```
 *_,=iter(print,9)
```
The weirdest way I thought of is to use splat destructuring inside a function call, function(*iterable). It seems that Python tries to consume the entire iterable before even attempting the function call—even if the function call is bogus. This means that we don't even need a real function, because the type error will only be thrown after the iterable is exhausted (i.e. never):
```
 8(*iter(print,9))
```

Python 3: 15, 17, or 18 characters

mdeitrick's answer is longer in Python 3, which replaces the print statement with a function call (15 chars):

while 1:print()

This remains the shortest I've found in Python 3. However, there are some more-interesting ways of printing in an infinite loop that are only a few characters longer.

print() returns None, which != 9, making it an infinite loop; the 8 is a no-op that substitutes for pass (18 chars):
```
 while print()!=9:8
```
iter(print, 9) defines an iterable that returns the output of print() until it equals 9 (which never happens). any consumes the input iterable looking for a true value, which never arrives since print() always returns None. (You could also use set to the same effect.)
```
 any(iter(print,9))
```
Or, we can consumer the iterable by testing whether it contains 8 (17 chars):
```
 8in iter(print,9)
```
Or, unpack it using the splat operator:
```
 *_,=iter(print,9)
```
The weirdest way I thought of is to use splat destructuring inside a function call, function(*iterable). It seems that Python tries to consume the entire iterable before even attempting the function call—even if the function call is bogus. This means that we don't even need a real function, because the type error will only be thrown after the iterable is exhausted (i.e. never):
```
 8(*iter(print,9))
```

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answered Feb 3, 2014 at 4:33

Mechanical snail

answered Feb 3, 2014 at 4:33

Mechanical snail

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Python 3: 15, 17, or 18 characters

mdeitrick's answer is longer in Python 3, which replaces the print statement with a function call (15 chars):

while 1:print()

This remains the shortest I've found in Python 3. However, there are some more-interesting ways of printing in an infinite loop that are only a few characters longer.

print() returns None, which != 9, making it an infinite loop; the 8 is a no-op that substitutes for pass (18 chars):
```
 while print()!=9:8
```
iter(print, 9) defines an iterable that returns the output of print() until it equals 9 (which never happens). any consumes the input iterable looking for a true value, which never arrives since print() always returns None. (You could also use set to the same effect.)
```
 any(iter(print,9))
```
Or, we can consumer the iterable by testing whether it contains 8 (17 chars):
```
 8in iter(print,9)
```
Or, unpack it using the splat operator:
```
 *_,=iter(print,9)
```
The weirdest way I thought of is to use splat destructuring inside a function call, function(*iterable). It seems that Python tries to consume the entire iterable before even attempting the function call—even if the function call is bogus. This means that we don't even need a real function, because the type error will only be thrown after the iterable is exhausted (i.e. never):
```
 8(*iter(print,9))
```