Question

What are the possible ways to solve a java.lang.StackOverflowError caused by an recursive algorithm?

Example

I'm trying to solve Project Euler problem 14 and decided to try it with a recursive algorithm. However, the program stops with an java.lang.StackOverflowError. Understandibly. The algorithm indeed overflowed the stack.

Solutions

So I was wondering: what standard ways are there to solve a java.lang.StackOverflowError assuming your recurisve algorithm was written correctly and would always end up overflowing the stack? Two concepts that came to mind were:

• a) tail recursion
• b) iterative algorithm

Are ideas a) and b) correct? Are there other options?