Is there a difference between `continue` and `pass` in a for loop in python?

Question

Yes, they do completely different things. pass simply does nothing, while continue goes on with the next loop iteration. In your example, the difference would become apparent if you added another statement after the if: After executing pass, this further statement would be executed. After continue, it wouldn't.

>>> a = [0, 1, 2]
>>> for element in a:
...     if not element:
...         pass
...     print(element)
... 
0
1
2
>>> for element in a:
...     if not element:
...         continue
...     print(element)
... 
1
2

Yes, there is a difference. continue forces the loop to start at the next iteration while pass means "there is no code to execute here" and will continue through the remainder of the loop body.

Run these and see the difference:

for element in some_list:
    if not element:
        pass
    print(1) # will print after pass

for element in some_list:
   if not element:
       continue
   print(1) # will not print after continue

continue will jump back to the top of the loop. pass will continue processing.

if pass is at the end for the loop, the difference is negligible as the flow would just back to the top of the loop anyway.

Difference between pass and continue in a for loop:

So why pass in python?

If you want to create a empty class, method or block.

Examples:

class MyException(Exception):
    pass


try:
   1/0
 except:
   pass

without 'pass' in the above examples will throw IndentationError.

In your example, there will be no difference, since both statements appear at the end of the loop. pass is simply a placeholder, in that it does nothing (it passes execution to the next statement). continue, on the other hand, has a definite purpose: it tells the loop to continue as if it had just restarted.

for element in some_list:
    if not element:
        pass
    print element  

is very different from

for element in some_list:
    if not element:
        continue
    print element

There is a difference between them,
continue skips the loop's current iteration and executes the next iteration.
pass does nothing. It’s an empty statement placeholder.
I would rather give you an example, which will clarify this more better.

>>> for element in some_list:
...     if element == 1:
...         print "Pass executed"
...         pass
...     print element
... 
0
Pass executed
1
2

>>> for element in some_list:
...     if element == 1:
...         print "Continue executed"
...         continue
...     print element
... 
0
Continue executed
2