In software, a stack overflow occurs when too much memory is used on the call stack. The call stack contains a limited amount of memory, often determined at the start of the program. The size of the call stack depends on many factors, including the programming language, machine architecture, multi-threading, and amount of available memory. When a program attempts to use more space than is available on the call stack (that is, when it attempts to access memory beyond the call stack's bounds, which is essentially a buffer overflow), the stack is said to overflow, typically resulting in a program crash.
Read more about Stack Overflow: Very Deep or Infinite Recursion, Very Large Stack Variables
Famous quotes containing the words stack and/or overflow:
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Terence, look your last at me,
For I come home no more.”
—A.E. (Alfred Edward)
“Oh! that thy love might overflow my Heart!
To fire the same with Love: for Love I would.
But oh! my streight’ned Breast! my Lifeless Sparke!
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Lord, blow the Coal: Thy Love Enflame in mee.”
—Edward Taylor (1645–1729)