Recursion is one of the core concepts in computer science, serving as a building block for solving numerous problems including depth-first search, merge sort, Towers of Hanoi, tree traversals, recursive dynamic programming, and many others.
Understanding recursion requires basic knowledge of functions, which we have already covered. Before diving into recursion, refresh your basic understanding of functions from Functions in C Programming.
Recursion basics in C programming
In recursion, a function solves a problem by calling itself with a smaller version of that problem. This self-call can happen directly within the function body or indirectly through a chain of calls involving other functions, eventually leading back to the original function.