Loopsby

Loopsby is a term used in computer science to describe a loop-centric approach to processing collections. It refers to a pattern in which a sequence of operations is applied by iterating over each element of a dataset and cumulatively building a result. The concept emphasizes explicit control over iteration and state, contrasting with vectorized or declarative styles.

Origin and usage: The term loopsby arose in online programming communities in the early 2010s as a playful label for loop-based pipelines. It has since appeared in tutorials and introductory texts as a generic descriptor for loop-driven processing rather than a formal standard.

Characteristics: Loopsby designs are typically simple, readable, and predictable. They favor forward iteration, explicit accumulation, and clear termination conditions. They can be implemented in imperative, functional, or hybrid languages, with performance dependent on language, compiler optimizations, and data size.

Applications and examples: It is common in data transformation, filtering, aggregation, and simulations that require per-element processing in order. Examples include transforming a list of records by applying a function to each item and collecting the output, or computing a running total as items are processed.

See also: Iteration, for loop, map and reduce patterns, and accumulation. The term remains a descriptive label rather than a widely standardized concept.