In computing, memoization is an optimization technique used primarily to speed up computer programs by having function calls avoid repeating the calculation of results for previously processed inputs. Memoization has also been used in other contexts (and for purposes other than speed gains), such as in simple mutually recursive descent parsing in a general top-down parsing algorithm that accommodates ambiguity and left recursion in polynomial time and space. Although related to caching, memoization refers to a specific case of this optimization, distinguishing it from forms of caching such as buffering or page replacement. In the context of some logic programming languages, memoization is also known as tabling; see also lookup table.