Recursive definition
A recursive definition specifies a structure or value in terms of simpler instances of itself, together with cases that terminate the recursion.
Fabulous Adventures in Data Structures and Algorithms
A recursive definition specifies a structure or value in terms of simpler instances of itself together with base cases.
- How it is used
- Defines immutable data structures through base cases and smaller components, guiding their C# representations.
- How deep it goes
- Works through list, deque, and quadtree definitions, then examines nested generic types and an equality-related stack risk.
- Examples
- Uses a C# linked-list record, a deque of minis, four-child quads, and the recurrence for combinations.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch: define base and recursive cases for immutable structures while checking representation and performance consequences.
Read how Fabulous Adventures in Data Structures and Algorithms explains recursive definition →
Learn Haskell by Example
A recursive definition is a definition that refers directly or indirectly to itself.
- How it is used
- Uses self-referential definitions to transform lists and build reusable functional programs.
- How deep it goes
- Demonstrates base cases, pattern matching, recursive calls, counters, and local helpers, but stops short of formal recursion theory.
- Examples
- Uses line numbering and proposed implementations of lines, unlines, words, and unwords as concrete examples.
- What you can do after
- Apply recursive definitions to implement list-processing utilities and test their results in GHCi.
Read how Learn Haskell by Example explains recursive definition →
Related concepts
- equalityuses · Equality is a programming-language relation or operation that determines whether two values are considered equal according to applicable rules.
- helper functionuses · A helper function is a reusable supporting function that performs an operation for a larger computation or other code.
- deque of minisuses · A deque of minis is the recursive middle component of this deque representation whose elements are bounded mini-deques.
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