What is pruning in decision trees and why Random Forest avoids it?
Updated May 17, 2026
Short answer
Pruning reduces tree complexity, but Random Forest typically uses unpruned trees.
Deep explanation
Instead of pruning, Random Forest relies on averaging many deep trees to control overfitting.
Real-world example
Used in ensemble learning for robust predictions.
Common mistakes
- Thinking pruning is required in Random Forest.
Follow-up questions
- Why avoid pruning?
- Does pruning ever help?