spiralmatrix.py

def spiral_order(matrix):
    result = []
    if not matrix:
        return result

    rows, cols = len(matrix), len(matrix[0])
    top, bottom, left, right = 0, rows - 1, 0, cols - 1

    while top <= bottom and left <= right:
        # Traverse from left to right
        for i in range(left, right + 1):
            result.append(matrix[top][i])
        top += 1

        # Traverse from top to bottom
        for i in range(top, bottom + 1):
            result.append(matrix[i][right])
        right -= 1

        if top <= bottom:
            # Traverse from right to left
            for i in range(right, left - 1, -1):
                result.append(matrix[bottom][i])
            bottom -= 1

        if left <= right:
            # Traverse from bottom to top
            for i in range(bottom, top - 1, -1):
                result.append(matrix[i][left])
            left += 1

    return result


# Example usage:
matrix = [[1, 2, 3, 4], [5, 6, 7, 8], [9, 10, 11, 12], [13, 14, 15, 16]]

result = spiral_order(matrix)
print(" ".join(map(str, result)))