---
title: Learn Recursion by Solving the Tower of Hanoi Puzzle
block: learn-recursion-by-solving-the-tower-of-hanoi-puzzle
superBlock: scientific-computing-with-python
---

## Learn Recursion by Solving the Tower of Hanoi Puzzle

Recursion is a programming technique where a function calls itself to solve smaller instances of the same problem. This approach is particularly useful for problems that can be divided into similar subproblems, each of which can be solved independently and combined to form a solution to the original problem.

You'll learn about recursion in detail by building a solution to the Tower of Hanoi puzzle. The Tower of Hanoi is a classic problem that involves moving a stack of disks from one peg to another. The puzzle consists of three rods and several disks of different diameters.

The goal of this puzzle is to move the disks from the first rod to the third rod, subjected to the following constraints:

- Only one disk can be moved at a time.
- A larger disk cannot be placed on top of a smaller disk.

This recursive approach ensures that each step of the puzzle is handled correctly, breaking down the problem into smaller and smaller subproblems until the base case is reached. Thus, the Tower of Hanoi is a clear and classic example of how recursion can simplify and solve complex problems.
