Programs and Memory

• Each programs is assigned a virtual memory space:

• Stack: stores variables that are local to functions; when a function is called, its automatic variables are allocated on the top of the stack; when it ends, its variables are de-allocated.

• Heap: place for variables that are created with malloc, calloc, realloc and disposed of with free.

• Data: initialized variables including global and static variables, un-initialized variables.

• Code (text): the program instructions to be executed.