The Problem: Code Without Control Flow

Imagine you’re writing your first Python programs. So far, maybe you’ve learned how to:

• Store numbers and text in variables,
• Print things out,
• Do some simple math.

But, there’s a big limitation:

Every line of your code runs in order, from top to bottom, with no way to “make decisions” or “repeat” actions.

In real life, we need our programs to:

• Respond to different situations
• Choose between actions
• Repeat things efficiently

Real-World Analogy

Think of control flow like road signs and traffic lights in a city:

• Stop, yield, turn left, go straight, make a U-turn…
• Without them, everyone would drive straight ahead, and nothing would work!

Types of Control Flow in Python

There are Two core ways Python lets you control how your code runs: