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What does "call stack" mean in programming?

call stack is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

A data structure that records the sequence of function calls currently executing. Each time a function is called, a frame is pushed onto the stack; when it returns, the frame is popped. Stack overflow errors happen when the call stack exceeds its limit, usually due to infinite recursion.

Example

"The error message showed the full call stack, so we could see exactly which function triggered the crash."

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