Python: Yes, coroutines are complicated, but they can be used as simply as generators

The fact is that we often take the .send() sematics of coroutines too seriosly that we simply ignore the possibility to use them just like generators.

def simple_generator():
    yield
    yield
    yield

def simple_coroutine():
    x = yield 
    y = yield
    z = yield

    print("[simple_coroutine] after 3 yields, x = {}, y = {}, z = {}".format(x, y, z))
    
    # return value of coroutines are not used in our examples
    # so having a return-statement or not does not matter here
    # return (x, y, z)  

def simple_generator2():
    yield 1
    yield 2
    yield 3

def simple_coroutine2():
    x = yield 1
    y = yield 2
    z = yield 3

    print("[simple_coroutine2] after 3 yields, x = {}, y = {}, z = {}".format(x, y, z))

    # return (x, y, z)  

# Or simply `my_gen = (None for _ in range(3))`
# Prefer generator functions here for better comparison of code
my_gen = simple_generator()
my_coro = simple_coroutine()

my_gen2 = simple_generator2()
my_coro2 = simple_coroutine2()

def yield_from(sth):
    yield from sth
    
print(list(yield_from(my_gen)))
print("------------------")
print(list(yield_from(my_coro)))
print("------------------")
print(list(yield_from(my_gen2)))
print("------------------")
print(list(yield_from(my_coro2)))

# Output:
"""
[None, None, None]
------------------
[simple_coroutine] after 3 yields, x = None, y = None, z = None
[None, None, None]
------------------
[1, 2, 3]
------------------
[simple_coroutine2] after 3 yields, x = None, y = None, z = None
[1, 2, 3]
"""

• A simple yield with no argument, yields None
• A statement like x = yield, with no argument after yield, yields None (same in a generator’s way)
• Priming a coroutine does trigger the first yield, which will yield something (same in a generator’s way)
  • Recall that next(coro) and coro.send(None) both serve as primers.
    • The consistency of next(coro) and coro.send(None) in the ability to prime a coroutine is actually a good clue to follow!