What are the differences between iterative and recursive approaches in programming?

What are the differences between iterative and recursive approaches in programming?

Iterative approaches use loops to repeat a process, while recursive approaches call a function within itself.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! An iterative example is using a for loop to calculate the factorial of a number. A recursive example is a function that calls itself to compute the factorial.

Which approach is more efficient?

It depends on the context. Iterative solutions often use less memory, while recursion can be more elegant and easier to read.

Are there any downsides to using recursion?

Yes, recursion can lead to stack overflow errors if the recursion depth is too high, and it may be less efficient due to function call overhead.