Stack Overflow

It is important to point out that a stack overflow is a logical runtime error and not a syntax error. Syntax errors result when the computer cannot read a section of code correctly, and these errors are caught by the compiler or at other key points before production. A stack overflow, on the other hand, happens “in the mix” and can be hard to figure out.

Stack overflows can be caused by not allocating enough memory to a particular program. They can also be caused by a codebase where the coder or developer did not remember memory limits and programmed the executable to exceed them. Many programmers consider recursive functions as a major culprit: With recursion, the iterative process eats up all of the available memory and then triggers a stack overflow.