Name: In how many ways can you print in the console 50 times? (Javascript)
Rating: 1.5 (7771 reviews)
Author: noriller

A while back, someone asked me in an interview to print "Hello World" in the console 50 times without using a loop.
The answer, was obviously, with recursion.
But was that the only answer?

Afterward, I start pondering... let's find out?

If you want to check it out: https://github.com/Noriller/js-console.log

I've made a repository and used jest to test if everything was working, I've also used this auxiliary function:

function Log() {
  console.log("Hello World!");
}

Most were just variations of the same thing... but I did manage to make it work in some unexpected ways.

Brute forcing!

Because... why not?

Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log(); Log();

Using Loops

Ok, the interviewer said no loops, but here we can use...

// The classic For Loop
for (let i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
    Log();
}

// Do While Loop
let i = 0;
do {
    Log();
    i++;
} while (i < 50);

// While Loop
let i = 0;
while (i < 50) {
  Log();
  i++;
}

// For Of
const arr = Array(50).fill(Log);
for (let x of arr) {
  x();
}

// For In
const arr = Array(50).fill(Log);
const obj = Object.assign({}, arr);
for (let x in obj) {
  obj[x]();
}

Using Javascript Array Functions

const arr = Array(50).fill(Log);

// Multiple Array Funcions
// Basically the same way...
arr.forEach(el => el());
arr.map(el => el());

arr.filter(el => el());
arr.find(el => el());
arr.findIndex(el => el());

arr.reduce((acc, el) => el(), {});
arr.reduceRight((acc, el) => el(), {});

arr.every(el => !el());
arr.some(el => el());

Going a little crazy on the Array methods:

// Array From (basically a map)
Array.from(
  Array(50).fill(Log),
  x => x()
);

const arr = Array(50).fill(Log);

// Pop
while (arr.length > 0) {
  arr.pop()();
}
// Shift
while (arr.length > 0) {
  arr.shift()();
}
// Splice
while (arr.length > 0) {
  arr.splice(0, 1)[0]();
}

Using Recursion

// Classic Recursion
function Log50(num = 1) {
  if (num > 50) return;
  Log();
  Log50(num + 1);
}

Log50();

Using Time?

// Set Interval (basically a loop)
let i = 1;
const interval = setInterval(() => {
  if (i > 50) return clearInterval(interval);
  i++;
  Log();
}, 1000);

// Set Timeout (basically recursion)
let i = 1;
function timers() {
  const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
    if (i > 50) return;
    i++;
    Log();
    clearTimeout(timeout);
    timers();
  }, 1000);
}

timers();

// Set Immediate (same as timeout)
let i = 1;
function timers() {
  const immediate = setImmediate(() => {
    if (i > 50) return;
    i++;
    Log();
    clearImmediate(immediate);
    timers();
  });
}

timers();

Try...catch?

class CustomError extends Error {
  constructor(...args) {
    super(...args);

    this.Log50();
  }

  Log50(num = 1) {
    if (num > 50) return;
    Log();
    this.Log50(num + 1);
  }

}

try {
  throw new CustomError();
} catch (error) {
}

Spread Operator?

function* generator(num = 0) {
  while (num < 50) {
    num++;
    yield Log();
  }
}

[...generator()];

You see... the basis ends up being either a loop or a recursion... it's mostly how you call it...

But hey... can you think of another way of doing it?

If you can... leave a comment or send a PR maybe?

Cover Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash