MergeSortTutorial - [Java]

MergeSortTutorial.java

package mergesort;

class MergeSortTutorial {
	
	// Helper method to print out the integer array.
	private static void printArray(int[] array) {
		
		for(int i: array) {
			System.out.print(i + " ");
		}
		System.out.println();
		
	}
	
	// Breaks down the array to single or null elements in array.
	private static int[] mergeSort(int[] array) {
		
		// Recursive control 'if' statement.
		if(array.length <= 1) {
			
			return array;
			
		}
		
		int midpoint = array.length / 2;
		
		// Declare and initialize left and right arrays.
		int[] left = new int[midpoint];
		int[] right;
		
		if(array.length % 2 == 0) { // if array.length is an even number.
			
			right = new int[midpoint];
			
		} else {
			
			right = new int[midpoint + 1];
			
		}
		
		// Populate the left and right arrays.
		for(int i=0; i < midpoint; i++) {
			
			left[i] = array[i];
			
		}
		
		for(int j=0; j < right.length; j++) {
			
			right[j] = array[midpoint+j];
			
		}
		
		int[] result = new int[array.length];
		
		// Recursive call for left and right arrays.
		left = mergeSort(left);
		right = mergeSort(right);
		
		// Get the merged left and right arrays.
		result = merge(left, right);
		
		// Return the sorted merged array.
		return result;
		
	}
	
	// Merges the left and right array in ascending order.
	private static int[] merge(int[] left, int[] right) {
		
		// Merged result array.
		int[] result = new int[left.length + right.length];
		
		// Declare and initialize pointers for all arrays.
		int leftPointer, rightPointer, resultPointer;
		leftPointer = rightPointer = resultPointer = 0;
		
		// While there are items in either array...
		while(leftPointer < left.length || rightPointer < right.length) {
			
			// If there are items in BOTH arrays...
			if(leftPointer < left.length && rightPointer < right.length) {
				
				// If left item is less than right item...
				if(left[leftPointer] < right[rightPointer]) {
					
					result[resultPointer++] = left[leftPointer++];
					
				} else {
					
					result[resultPointer++] = right[rightPointer++];
					
				}
				
			}
			
			// If there are only items in the left array...
			else if(leftPointer < left.length) {
				
				result[resultPointer++] = left[leftPointer++];
				
			}
			
			// If there are only items in the right array...
			else if(rightPointer < right.length) {
				
				result[resultPointer++] = right[rightPointer++];
				
			}
 			
		}
		
		return result;
		
	}
	
	public static void main(String args[]) {
		
		// Initial array with print out.
		int[] array = { 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 };
		System.out.println("Initial Array: ");
		printArray(array);
		
		// Sorted and merged array with print out.
		array = mergeSort(array);
		System.out.println("Sorted Array: ");
		printArray(array);
		
	}

}

Thank you for the code. It helped me to finally GET what the recursion is and how to use it.
It's sooo clean and cohesive. <3