递归简介
一个过程或函数在其定义或说明中有直接或间接调用自身的一种方法
它通常把一个大型复杂的问题层层转化为一个与原问题相似的规模较小的问题来求解,递归策略只需少量的程序就可描述出解题过程所需要的多次重复计算,大大地减少了程序的代码量。
举个例子,用4的阶乘乘以4来定义5的阶乘,3的阶乘乘以4来定义4的阶乘,以此类推
factorial(5) = factorial(4) * 5
factorial(5) = factorial(3) * 4 * 5
factorial(5) = factorial(2) * 3 * 4 * 5
factorial(5) = factorial(1) * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5
factorial(5) = factorial(0) * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5
factorial(5) = 1 * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5
用Haskell的Pattern matching 可以很直观的定义factorial函数:
factorial n = factorial (n-1) * n
factorial 0 = 1
递归的例子中,从第一个调用factorial(5)
开始,一直递归调用factorial
函数自身直到参数的值为0。下面是一个形象的图例:
递归的调用栈
为了理解调用栈,我们回到factorial
函数的例子。
function factorial(n) {
if (n === 0) {
return 1
}
return n * factorial(n - 1)
}
let result = factorial(3)
console.log(result)
使用arguments.callee代替方法名
function factorial(n) {
if (n === 0) {
return 1
}
return n * arguments.callee(n - 1)
}
let result = factorial(3)
console.log(result)
如果我们传入参数3,将会递归调用factorial(2)
、factorial(1)
和factorial(0)
,因此会额外再调用factorial
三次
每次函数调用都会压入调用栈,整个调用栈如下:
factorial(0) // 0的阶乘为1
factorial(1) // 该调用依赖factorial(0)
factorial(2) // 该调用依赖factorial(1)
factorial(3) // 该掉用依赖factorial(2)
现在我们修改代码,插入console.trace()
来查看每一次当前的调用栈的状态,console.trace()方法可以跟踪函数的调用轨迹。如果需要知道一个函数的调用轨迹,那么可以将此方法写在函数内部即可
function factorial(n) {
console.trace()
if (n === 0) {
return 1
}
return n * factorial(n - 1)
}
factorial(3)
接下来我们看看调用栈是怎样的
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:754:12)
at startup (internal/bootstrap/node.js:283:19)
at bootstrapNodeJSCore (internal/bootstrap/node.js:622:3)
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at factorial (rep.js:6:14)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:754:12)
at startup (internal/bootstrap/node.js:283:19)
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at factorial (rep.js:6:14)
at factorial (rep.js:6:14)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:754:12)
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at factorial (rep.js:6:14)
at factorial (rep.js:6:14)
at factorial (rep.js:6:14)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
现在我们有四个对factorial
函数的调用
设想,如果传入的参数值特别大,那么这个调用栈将会非常之大,最终可能超出调用栈的缓存大小而崩溃导致程序执行失败。那么如何解决这个问题呢?使用尾递归
尾递归
尾递归是一种递归的写法,可以避免不断的将函数压栈最终导致堆栈溢出。通过设置一个累加参数,并且每一次都将当前的值累加上去,然后递归调用。
js尾递归优化,在ES6的严格模式下才实现。其他环境下并不会优化尾递归(node版本在有flag情况下已经能够运行尾递归优化之后的代码)
我们来看如何改写之前定义factorial
函数为尾递归
function factorial(n, total = 1) {
if (n === 0) {
return total
}
return factorial(n - 1, n * total)
}
factorial(3)
factorial(3)
的执行步骤如下
factorial(3, 1)
factorial(2, 3)
factorial(1, 6)
factorial(0, 6)
调用栈不再需要多次对factorial
进行压栈处理,因为每一个递归调用都不在依赖于上一个递归调用的值。因此,空间的复杂度为o(1)而不是0(n)。
接下来,通过console.trace()
函数将调用栈打印出来
function factorial(n, total = 1) {
console.trace()
if (n === 0) {
return total
}
return factorial(n - 1, n * total)
}
factorial(3)
很惊讶的发现,依然有很多压栈!
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:8:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:754:12)
at startup (internal/bootstrap/node.js:283:19)
at bootstrapNodeJSCore (internal/bootstrap/node.js:622:3)
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at factorial (rep.js:6:10)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:8:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:754:12)
at startup (internal/bootstrap/node.js:283:19)
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at factorial (rep.js:6:10)
at factorial (rep.js:6:10)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:8:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:754:12)
Trace
at factorial (rep.js:2:11)
at factorial (rep.js:6:10)
at factorial (rep.js:6:10)
at factorial (rep.js:6:10)
at Object.<anonymous> (rep.js:8:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:701:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:712:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:600:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:539:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:531:3)
这是为什么呢?
在Nodejs下面,我们可以通过开启strict mode
, 并且使用--harmony_tailcalls
来开启尾递归(proper tail call)。
'use strict'
function factorial(n, total = 1) {
console.trace()
if (n === 0) {
return total
}
return factorial(n - 1, n * total)
}
factorial(3)
// 注意,虽然说这里启用了严格模式,但是经测试,在Chrome和Firefox下,还是会报栈溢出错误,并没有进行尾调用优化
// Safari浏览器进行了尾调用优化,factorial(500000)结果为Infinity,因为结果超出了JS可表示的数字范围
// 如果在node v6版本下执行,需要加--harmony_tailcalls参数,node --harmony_tailcalls test.js
// node最新版本已经移除了--harmony_tailcalls功能
使用如下命令:
node --harmony_tailcalls factorial.js
调用栈信息如下:
Trace
at factorial (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:3:13)
at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (module.js:570:32)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:579:10)
at Module.load (module.js:487:32)
at tryModuleLoad (module.js:446:12)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:438:3)
at Module.runMain (module.js:604:10)
at run (bootstrap_node.js:394:7)
at startup (bootstrap_node.js:149:9)
Trace
at factorial (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:3:13)
at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (module.js:570:32)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:579:10)
at Module.load (module.js:487:32)
at tryModuleLoad (module.js:446:12)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:438:3)
at Module.runMain (module.js:604:10)
at run (bootstrap_node.js:394:7)
at startup (bootstrap_node.js:149:9)
Trace
at factorial (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:3:13)
at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (module.js:570:32)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:579:10)
at Module.load (module.js:487:32)
at tryModuleLoad (module.js:446:12)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:438:3)
at Module.runMain (module.js:604:10)
at run (bootstrap_node.js:394:7)
at startup (bootstrap_node.js:149:9)
Trace
at factorial (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:3:13)
at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/stefanzan/factorial.js:9:1)
at Module._compile (module.js:570:32)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:579:10)
at Module.load (module.js:487:32)
at tryModuleLoad (module.js:446:12)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:438:3)
at Module.runMain (module.js:604:10)
at run (bootstrap_node.js:394:7)
at startup (bootstrap_node.js:149:9)
你会发现,不会在每次调用的时候压栈,只有一个factorial
。
注意:尾递归不一定会将你的代码执行速度提高;相反,可能会变慢。不过,尾递归可以让你使用更少的内存,使你的递归函数更加安全 (前提是你要开启harmony模式)。