recursion

Recursion is a concept where a function or process refers to itself to solve a problem. Think of it like a set of Russian nesting dolls: each doll contains a smaller version of itself. In programming, a recursive function solves a problem by breaking it down into smaller, similar problems, solving those, and using their results to build up the solution. This method is effective for tasks like calculating factorials, traversing data structures, or searching through lists. The key is that each step moves closer to a base case that stops the recursion, preventing it from going on indefinitely.