Why avoid while loops?

Question

I\'m about 2 weeks deep in my study of Python as an introductory language. I\'ve hit a point in Zed\'s \"Learn Python the Hard Way\" where he suggests:

Answer 1

The for loop is best for looping through a collection. I mostly think of the for loop as a "definite loop." Using a for loop for a collection prevents errors arising from attempting to use indices that are out of bounds or from accidentally using negative indices. Unless you are in a special situation, use a for loop for traversing a collection.

The while loop is most useful for situations where you may have to repeat an action an indefinite number of times. It is the "indefinite loop". The example shown above for calculating a gcd is a prime example of where to use a while loop. You must bear in mind that the predicate in the while must change, or you could get stuck in an infinite loop.

If at all possible, avoid using break to get out of a loop.