[Python-Dev] Proper tail recursion (original) (raw)

Michael Hudson mwh at python.net
Wed Jul 14 20:45:01 CEST 2004

Christopher T King <squirrel at WPI.EDU> writes:

JanC recommended I post this on python-dev to get feedback. To sum up the previous posts in my thread on comp.lang.python, I've created a patch that optimizes tail calls in the CPython interpreter, so that the stack is not used for functions called in a tail context.

I guess I could have said this in c.l.py, but: what's the point? I don't think I've ever had a situation where hitting the recursion limit wasn't a bug, and given a) the ease with which a non-contrivedly tail recursive algorithm can usually be rewritten iteratively and b) the (lack of) speed of function calls in today's Python I can't see any huge real advantage to this patch.

It's a cute hack though :-)

Cheers, mwh

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