How does recursion affect performance in C++?

How does recursion affect performance in C++?

Recursion can lead to increased memory usage due to function call overhead and stack space. It may also cause slower execution compared to iterative solutions.

Can you give an example of a recursive function in C++?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a recursive function that calculates the factorial of a number:

int factorial(int n) {
    if (n <= 1) return 1;
    return n * factorial(n - 1);
}

What are the advantages of using recursion?

Recursion can simplify code, making it easier to read and maintain. It's particularly useful for problems that can be broken down into smaller subproblems, like tree traversals.

Are there any downsides to using recursion?

Yes, recursion can lead to stack overflow if the recursion depth is too high. It also may have worse performance due to overhead from multiple function calls.