Is Nikkor 50mm 1.8 lens recommended?

Is Nikkor 50mm 1.8 lens recommended?

Yes, 50 1.8s are great lenses - keep in mind there are two different kinds - AF and AF-S. If you have a cheaper Nikon Body, such as the D3000, D5000, D3100 or D5100 (not the complete list, btw) you will want the newer 50mmm AF-S…

For what?

I own the Canon version and it's a fine lens but too tight for general photography and portraits.
It's good for wide aperture and low light stuff but it's certainly not a general use lens.

It's an essential lens. But it depends on your camera. If you use AP-C sized sensor (DX format), you may buy AF-S 35mm, 1.8 which will be 52.5mm for AP-C format crop factor.

If you're looking for taking photos indoors or in low-light without flash, if you want portraits or other photos with great bokeh (subject in focus, foreground and background out-of-focus), then this is a great addition to your camera bag. As wisely said before, if you have an entry level Nikon such as the D40,
D3100, or D5100 (and any of their predecessors), then you'll need the 50mm AF-G lens, which has the built-in autofocus motor. If not, then you can get the very inexpensive "nifty 50" 50mm AF or AF-D.

I have the 50mm AF and use it alongside my Nikon 35mm f/1.8 AF-S as my go-to lenses for low-light. In fact, when I shoot high school, NCAA, or NBA basketball games, I use these two lenses for my under the basket shots, as they allow me to use a lower ISO (sharpness), as well as a higher shutter speed (no motion blur).

Here's some photos of mine, mostly taken with either the 35mm or 50mm f/1.8 Nikon lens on my D300.
http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/mp-bb/gal-mp-bb/nba-sacramento-kings-100-vs-san-antonio-spurs-113.shtml?45319#0
http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/wc-bb/gal-wc-bb/ncaa-womens-basketball-stanford-71-v-connecticut-5.shtml?44559