Difference between Recursion and Iteration (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 28 May, 2025

A program is called recursive when an entity calls itself. A program is called iterative when there is a loop (or repetition).

**Example: Program to find the factorial of a number

C++ `

// C++ program to find factorial of given number #include<bits/stdc++.h> using namespace std;

// ----- Recursion ----- // method to find factorial of given number int factorialUsingRecursion(int n) { if (n == 0) return 1;

// recursion call
return n * factorialUsingRecursion(n - 1);

}

// ----- Iteration ----- // Method to find the factorial of a given number int factorialUsingIteration(int n) { int res = 1, i;

// using iteration
for (i = 2; i <= n; i++)
    res *= i;

return res;

}

// Driver method int main() { int num = 5; cout << "Factorial of " << num << " using Recursion is: " << factorialUsingRecursion(5) << endl;

cout << "Factorial of " << num <<
        " using Iteration is: " << 
        factorialUsingIteration(5);

return 0;

}

// This code is contributed by mits

C

// C program to find factorial of given number #include <stdio.h>

// ----- Recursion ----- // method to find factorial of given number int factorialUsingRecursion(int n) { if (n == 0) return 1;

// recursion call
return n * factorialUsingRecursion(n - 1);

}

// ----- Iteration ----- // Method to find the factorial of a given number int factorialUsingIteration(int n) { int res = 1, i;

// using iteration
for (i = 2; i <= n; i++)
    res *= i;

return res;

}

// Driver method int main() { int num = 5; printf("Factorial of %d using Recursion is: %d\n", num, factorialUsingRecursion(5));

printf("Factorial of %d using Iteration is: %d", num,
       factorialUsingIteration(5));

return 0;

}

// This code is contributed by mits

Java

// Java program to find factorial of given number class GFG {

// ----- Recursion -----
// method to find factorial of given number
static int factorialUsingRecursion(int n)
{
    if (n == 0)
        return 1;

    // recursion call
    return n * factorialUsingRecursion(n - 1);
}

// ----- Iteration -----
// Method to find the factorial of a given number
static int factorialUsingIteration(int n)
{
    int res = 1, i;

    // using iteration
    for (i = 2; i <= n; i++)
        res *= i;

    return res;
}

// Driver method
public static void main(String[] args)
{
    int num = 5;
    System.out.println("Factorial of " + num
                       + " using Recursion is: "
                       + factorialUsingRecursion(5));

    System.out.println("Factorial of " + num
                       + " using Iteration is: "
                       + factorialUsingIteration(5));
}

}

Python

Python3 program to find factorial of given number

----- Recursion -----

method to find factorial of given number

def factorialUsingRecursion(n): if (n == 0): return 1;

# recursion call
return n * factorialUsingRecursion(n - 1);

----- Iteration -----

Method to find the factorial of a given number

def factorialUsingIteration(n): res = 1;

# using iteration
for i in range(2, n + 1):
    res *= i;

return res;

Driver method

num = 5; print("Factorial of",num,"using Recursion is:", factorialUsingRecursion(5));

print("Factorial of",num,"using Iteration is:", factorialUsingIteration(5));

This code is contributed by mits

C#

// C# program to find factorial of // given number using System;

class GFG {

// ----- Recursion -----
// method to find factorial of 
// given number
static int factorialUsingRecursion(int n)
{
    if (n == 0)
        return 1;

    // recursion call
    return n * factorialUsingRecursion(n - 1);
}

// ----- Iteration -----
// Method to find the factorial of
// a given number
static int factorialUsingIteration(int n)
{
    int res = 1, i;

    // using iteration
    for (i = 2; i <= n; i++)
        res *= i;

    return res;
}

// Driver Code
public static void Main(String[] args)
{
    int num = 5;
    Console.WriteLine("Factorial of " + num + 
                      " using Recursion is: " + 
                      factorialUsingRecursion(5));

    Console.WriteLine("Factorial of " + num + 
                      " using Iteration is: " + 
                      factorialUsingIteration(5));
}

}

// This code has been contributed by Rajput-Ji

JavaScript

PHP

`

Output

Factorial of 5 using Recursion is: 120 Factorial of 5 using Iteration is: 120

Difference between Iteration and Recursion

The following table lists the major differences between iteration and recursion: