Category:Recursion: Difference between revisions

Many recursion problems can be solved with an iterative method, or using a [[loop]] of some sort (usually recursion and iteration are contrasted in programming, even though recursion is a specific type of iteration). In some languages, the factorial example is best done with a loop because of function call overhead. Some other languages, like [[Scheme]], are designed to favor recursion over explicit looping, using ''[[tail- recursion]] optimization'' to convert recursive calls into loop structures. If loop structures are not available (or not allowed) in your language, recursion is a good way to go.