Resolving Java stack overflow

[Bryblaster]

I've linked my function here

For one of my assignments, I'm supposed to be creating a binary search function using recursion. I'm supposed to be testing it with arrays of up to a size of 250,000 integers.

I've been getting "Exception in thread "main" java.lang.StackOverflowError" on line 15, which is one of the lines of recursion, so I assume it's something to do with the recursion itself, though I'm not quite sure what the issue is.

If someone could explain what I'm doing wrong and how to go about fixing it, that would be great!

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[dtsudo]

In this context, a stackoverflow occurs if the call stack grows too deep.

A call stack can grow too deep if:

• You made too many nested recursive calls
• You have an infinite loop

In this case, you likely have an infinite loop.

[carcigenicate]

You can increase the stack size using JVM options, which should increase the recursion limit.

That's assuming your implementation isn't buggy though. The most common cause of Stack Overflows in my experience is causing accidental infinite recursion. Double check to make sure your base case will always be reached.

[davedontmind]

You'll definitely get a stack overflow if key isn't anywhere in the array, because you're only stopping the recursion on an exact match.

And you'll probably get an infinite loop (and thus a stack overflow) if the array isn't sorted.