each

Returns the next key-value pair from a hash’s internal iterator.

Advances the hash’s internal iterator and returns the next entry. In list context, pushes a (key, value) pair. In scalar context, returns only the key. When the iterator is exhausted, returns an empty list (list context) or undef (scalar context), and the iterator resets automatically for the next traversal.

Note: keys and values reset the same internal iterator, so calling them during an each loop will restart iteration.

Synopsis

while (my ($k, $v) = each %hash) { ... }
while (my $k = each %hash) { ... }    # scalar context: key only

Implementation Notes

perl5 (pp.c): Returns (key, value) pair using the hash’s internal iterator. Returns empty list when iterator is exhausted. Does NOT reset the iterator — keys %hash or iterator exhaustion resets it.

See Also

PP runtime: each | keys, values, exists, delete