Recursion
Recursion is a programming term that sounds more complex than it really is. Simply put, recursion happens when a function calls itself within its own definition. Think of it as a loop, but instead of using a typical for or while loop, the function uses itself to perform an operation multiple times.
Recursion is helpful for addressing problems where you need to repeat a task but the number of repetitions isn’t known beforehand. This operation requires an ending condition so that the iterations stop when they reach a specific condition, preventing infinite repetitions.
The concept of recursion has also been compared to the concept of Russian dolls. Imagine opening a Russian doll to find another one inside, and another inside that, and so on. This process continues until you reach the smallest doll that can’t be opened further. Each step is like a function calling itself, eventually reaching a point where it can no longer do so.
