Is that considered recursion?

Question

I wrote a code for a password generator function and added a condition in the function such that:
If the random password is repeated (generated before):
the function returns itself (return func())
I'm new to the recursion concept and that project was a good chance to try it, but I don't actually know if such a condition would be met so that I can check if the code works.

Answer 1

You call your function again from the inside of the function, so formally it's recursive.

However:

The condition you wrote, never seems to be true, so the recursion is never actually kicked off.

Try to run this version:

import string, random
# By: Ali Abdelhady
L = []
# A random password generator
def password(i):
"""
A function that generates a random password
"""
print(i)
a = [i for i in (string.ascii_letters + string.digits + '@#$%^&*?></!~')]
b = ''
max_len = random.randint(9, 16)
for char in range(max_len):
c = random.choice(a)
b += c
if b not in L: # base case
L.append(b)
return b
else:
return password(i+1) # recursion

print('here is a password suggestion:')
for i in range(1000):
print(password(0))

I print out an index, with each recursive call increasing by one, and call the password a thousand times.

But if you look at it, index remains 0 in every case.

Answer 2

Hi,

a recursion has the following pattern:

fun recursion(value):
if......
return sth
else
return recursion(anotherValue)

your code is slightly different although it has some elements of recursion.

If you run password() the first time, L is empty and your password is not in L.
the recursive call will never be executed.

Idea: call password() if generated pw is not in the List
(I promise - you get a time out)

One Idea to make it a bit recurslve is to generate exactly 10 Passwords.
Changing your prog a littlebit could lead to that prog:

https://code.sololearn.com/cRZPFpH56k0L/#py

Answer 3

Can you show us your code? Let's have a look at it!

Answer 4

HonFu here it is
https://code.sololearn.com/cWB9y4XLyGBA/?ref=app

Answer 5

HonFu Thank you
So, the condition is not really needed, sometimes I have that habit of trying to make things perfect😅😅