• embed_me@programming.dev
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    5 hours ago

    I don’t get your point. Just because the image gets repeated in the 4th panel doesn’t mean its recursion. It can be an infinite while loop with a state.

    Now that I think about it, a recursion without a base/break condition is just an infinite loop with a state

    • AllHailTheSheep@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      5 hours ago

      I think modern compilers do actually compile recursion to be equivalent with an iterative model.

      edit: yes when possible they will compile to be iterative, but if it can’t be written iteratively it will be a series of calls and returns. depends on the specific type of recursion it looks like.

      • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        2 hours ago

        At one point I developed a habit of converting any recursive algorithm I was writing into a loop instead, since I knew function calls have overhead and all recursion really does is lets you use the calling stack and flow control as an invisible data structure.

        Then I got a question about parsing brackets properly during an interview and wrote a loop-based parser to solve it and the guy had to fish for a bit before I remembered recursion and realized that’s the answer he was looking for. My mind just wouldn’t consider using a whole calling stack when an integer would do the trick faster.