Can you explain the call stack in recursion?

Can you explain the call stack in recursion?

Sure! The call stack is a data structure that stores information about the active subroutines of a computer program. In recursion, each time a function calls itself, a new frame is added to the call stack.

What happens when a recursive function reaches its base case?

When a recursive function reaches its base case, it stops calling itself and begins to return values back through the call stack, unwinding each frame.

Can you give me an example of a recursive function?

Absolutely! A classic example is the factorial function. For instance, factorial(n) calls itself with n-1 until it reaches factorial(0), which is 1.

How does the call stack help in debugging recursive functions?

The call stack helps in debugging by showing the sequence of function calls. If there's an error, you can trace back through the stack to see where it occurred.