What are the best practices for writing recursive functions?

What are the best practices for writing recursive functions?

When writing recursive functions, it's important to ensure you have a base case to prevent infinite recursion. Also, consider the efficiency of your function to avoid stack overflow.

Can you give me an example of a recursive function?

Sure! A classic example is the factorial function. Here's how it looks in Python:

def factorial(n):
    if n == 0:
        return 1
    else:
        return n * factorial(n - 1)

What should I watch out for to avoid stack overflow?

To avoid stack overflow, ensure that your base case is reachable and that each recursive call progresses towards that base case. Also, consider using tail recursion if your language supports it.

Are there any performance considerations I should keep in mind?

Yes, recursive functions can be less efficient than iterative solutions due to overhead from function calls. Consider memoization or converting to an iterative approach for better performance.