stack overflow

stack overflow

(programming)

An error condition which results from attempting to push more items onto a stack than space has been allocated for. Often, this will simply overwrite the adjacent memory locations causing hard-to-trace bugs.

Stack overflow can result, for example, from an insufficient number of stack frames to handle hardware interrupts.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

stack overflow

An error condition that occurs when there is no room in the stack for a new item. This error condition can also occur when other things go awry; for example, a bad expansion card or one that isn't seated properly in the slot can cause erratic signals eventually leading to a stack overflow error message. Contrast with stack underflow. See stack.

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