Print Array in Reverse in C, C++, Java & Python – Code with Explanation & Examples in Short and Simple

   

C Program

#include <stdio.h>

void printReverse(int arr[], int index, int n) {
    if (index < 0) return;
    printf("%d ", arr[index]);
    printReverse(arr, index - 1, n);
}

int main() {
    int arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
    int n = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
    printReverse(arr, n - 1, n);
    return 0;
}

C Output

Input:
1 2 3 4 5

Output:
5 4 3 2 1

C++ Program

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void printReverse(int arr[], int index) {
    if (index < 0) return;
    cout << arr[index] << " ";
    printReverse(arr, index - 1);
}

int main() {
    int arr[] = {10, 20, 30, 40};
    int n = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
    printReverse(arr, n - 1);
    return 0;
}

C++ Output

Input:
10 20 30 40

Output:
40 30 20 10

JAVA Program

public class Main {
    static void printReverse(int[] arr, int index) {
        if (index < 0) return;
        System.out.print(arr[index] + " ");
        printReverse(arr, index - 1);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] arr = {7, 8, 9};
        printReverse(arr, arr.length - 1);
    }
}

JAVA Output

Input:
7 8 9

Output:
9 8 7

Python Program

def print_reverse(arr, index):
    if index < 0:
        return
    print(arr[index], end=" ")
    print_reverse(arr, index - 1)

arr = [100, 200, 300, 400, 500]
print_reverse(arr, len(arr) - 1)

Python Output

Input:
100 200 300 400 500

Output:
500 400 300 200 100

Explanation

Example

The recursion of printing an array in reverse begins at the end and counts up to the front. Rather than looping, the function recursively calls itself with the next smaller index until it hits the start of the array. If the array is [1, 2, 3], for instance, the function prints 3, then 2, then 1.

Real-Life Analogy

Consider a stack of plates in a cafeteria. If you always remove the top plate first, the order you remove them will be the reverse order in which they were stacked. Recursion is similar to removing one plate, then having the same process remove the rest, until no plates are left.

Why It Matters

This problem is a great illustration of how recursion can be used instead of loops for simple problems. It reinforces the idea of base cases and recursive calls while demonstrating that recursion best fits problems involving a "work from the end backward" type of logic. Reverse-order problems are commonly employed in programming interviews to gauge a candidate's understanding of recursive thinking.

Complexity and Optimization

Time complexity is O(n) since each element is traversed once. Space complexity is O(n) for the call stack of the function. The space complexity is O(1) using an iterative method and for-loop, but recursion is nicer to show in a teaching context.

Edge Cases and Testing

If the array has no elements, nothing is printed because the base case is activated immediately. If it contains one element, that element alone is printed without recursion. The function can be easily modified to print in reverse order for strings, linked lists, or even numbers' digits.

Interview Tips

Interviewers will often require you to reverse-print without truly reversing the array in memory. Recursion is a nice way to do that without additional storage space. If you are asked to print linked list nodes in reverse order without altering the list, this same recursive technique is ideal.

SEO-Friendly Closing

Printing an array in reverse order recursively in C, C++, Java, and Python is a great exercise for beginners to learn the base case and recursive call concept. It illustrates how recursion can backstep through data without changing it, which finds application in linked list questions, parsing data structures, and interview questions. Through this method, programmers become confident regarding recursive thinking and its application in actual problems where reverse processing needs to be carried out.