What does "stack overflow" mean in programming?
stack overflow 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
An error that occurs when the call stack exceeds its maximum size, usually caused by infinite or uncontrolled recursion. Each function call adds a frame to the stack; when there is no base case to stop recursion, the stack fills up and the program crashes with a stack overflow error.
Example
"The recursive function hit a stack overflow because it was missing its base case and called itself indefinitely."
Related terms
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