Shared State in a Recursive Method

Question

What potential issue might arise from using the shared variable 'result' in this recursive method?
 
```java
public class SynchronizedRecursive {
    private static int result = 0;
    
    public static int recursiveFactorial(int n) {
        if(n <= 1) return 1;
        synchronized(SynchronizedRecursive.class) {
            result = n * recursiveFactorial(n - 1);
            return result;
        }
    }
    
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(recursiveFactorial(5));
    }
}
```

Accepted Answer

Using a shared variable can cause incorrect results in a concurrent context, as recursive calls may overwrite its value if invoked by multiple threads.

Answer

There is no issue as the shared variable is only used to store the final result which is computed correctly.

Answer

The synchronized block entirely prevents any issues, making the use of a shared variable safe in all contexts.

Answer

The code will deadlock due to the recursive nature of the synchronized block.

Question Leaderboard