Recursion is a method of solving a computational problem where a method calls itself with smaller instances of the same input. This can happen when a method invokes itself or when a pair of methods invoke each other. It can be a useful tool, but unless the method includes a provision to break out of the recursion and ``++return++``, the recursion will continue until the stack overflows and the program crashes.

== Noncompliant Code Example

[source,java]
----
int myPow(int num, int exponent) {
    num = num * my_pow(num, exponent - 1); // Noncompliant
    return num;  // this is never reached
}
----

== Compliant Solution

[source,java]
----
int myPow(int num, int exponent) {
    if(exponent > 1) {
      num = num * my_pow(num, exponent - 1);
    }
    return num;
}
----
ifdef::env-github,rspecator-view[]

'''
== Implementation Specification
(visible only on this page)

include::../message.adoc[]

endif::env-github,rspecator-view[]