Recursion versus manual stacks - Which is preferred in which case?

Question

A recursive program creates a stack internally, and causes the users to write less code.

Are there any cases where recursion is actually preferred over manual stacks for the reason other than mentioned above?

EDIT 1:

In what way is dynamic memory allocation more "expensive" than the allocations on the heap by a recursive program?

Answer 1

The main reason, which I think you're alluding to when you say "less code", is clarity and simplicity of design. In a language with features like local variables and automatic storage, it is infinitely more natural to use those features than to structure everything into home-rolled stacks. (After all, why use functions at all? Why not write your entire program using if/else and while as your only control structures?)

Another consideration is performance, especially in multithreaded environments. Recursion — depending on the language — is likely to use the stack (note: you say "creates a stack internally", but really, it uses the stack that programs in such languages always have), whereas a manual stack structure would require dynamic memory allocation, which frequently has a noticeable performance penalty — not to mention the added complexity of making sure that you release all that memory when you (say) encounter an exception.