The Call Stack

The call stack tracks functions that are currently active and are being processed.

The call stack functions in the following way:

• When a function call is encountered, it is pushed onto the call stack.

• Any additional functions called within the original function are placed higher up onto the call stack.

• When a function finishes executing, it is popped off the call stack and the next function on the call stack is processed.

Notice how the call stack keeps track of the order of function calls:

Stack Overflow

If the call stack grows too large and exceeds the amount of memory allocated, a Stack Overflow Error will occur. This commonly happens when a function calls itself recursively.

Notice how a stack overflow error can occur: