Call Stack

A program uses a call stack to keep track of method calls

Java's Call Stack

Call stack

• made up of stack frames
  • one stack frame per method call

Stack Frame

• contains info about method & its variables
  • local variables, arguments passed into the method, information about caller's stack frame, return address
  • return address: what the program should do after the function returns
    • where it should return to
• added to the call when execution enters the method
• removed from call stack if execution is done

Stack overflow

When we run out of space

i.e. in a recursive function

Each method call creates its own stack frame and takes up space on the call stack. The space complexity of an algorithm may overwhelm the stack space.

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References

• https://www.usenix.org/legacy/publications/library/proceedings/jvm02/full_papers/doyle/doyle_html/node9.html
• https://www.tutorialkart.com/java/java-call-stack/
• https://www.interviewcake.com/concept/java/call-stack