Does C Have a Recursion Depth Limit Like Python?

Does C Have a Recursion Depth Limit Like Python?

Unlike Python which has a maximum recursion depth as a result of its interpreted nature, C is compiled and does not face such restrictions directly. However, C does have its own recursion limit imposed by the operating system through the stack size it allocates.

The stack size in C is usually significantly smaller than the available RAM and can be modified within the OS (like using ulimit on Unix systems). On macOS, the default stack limit is 8 MB.

To calculate the maximum recursion depth, it's necessary to determine the activation record size of the recursive function. This can be done using a debugger's disassembler to determine the stack pointer adjustments. This gives a more accurate estimation compared to other methods like calculating the difference between pointers in function calls.

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