Base Case and Recursive Case
The recursive case shrinks the problem and the base case stops it; without a base case the stack overflows.
Decision · step 3 of 10The Call Stack: No base case, stack overflow
countDown(2) prints 2 and calls countDown(1). Depth 2.
What you will see
Frames pile up until the base case; remove the base case and watch the stack overflow.
Cost
| Space | O(depth) |
|---|
How you work with it here
play it through, step one change at a time, scrub to any step, run it on your own input.
Screen readers: Each frame announces its function, arguments and depth; each step announces a call or a return with its value.
Reduced motion: Frames appear and disappear with crossfades instead of sliding.
Before this
Related
Taught by the same lesson
The Call Stack covers these too, in the same run.