eolas/Software_Engineering/Call_stack.md

categories	tags
Software Engineering

The call-stack

A stack data structure that holds the information of the functions called within a program that allows transfer of the application control from these functions to the main process after code inside the functions has been executed.

Example

function greet(who) {
  console.log("Hello " + who);
}

greet("Harry");

console.log("Bye");

Breakdown

1. Interpreter receives call to greet()
2. Goes to the definition of this function (function greet(who)...)
3. Executes the console.log within this function
4. Returns to the location that called it (greet("Harry"))
5. Finds that there is nothing else to do in this function so moves to next function: the console.log("bye")
6. Executes
7. Returns to line that called it. Finds nothing else to do. Exits program.