What are the differences between iterative and recursive methods?

What are the differences between iterative and recursive methods?

Iterative methods use loops to repeat a process, while recursive methods call themselves to solve a problem.

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 method is more efficient?

It depends on the context. Iterative methods generally use less memory, while recursive methods can be more elegant but may lead to stack overflow.

When should I use recursion over iteration?

Use recursion when the problem can be broken down into smaller subproblems, especially in tree or graph traversals.