Programs organize runtime memory using two complementary allocation models: the stack, a LIFO structure where memory is reserved and released via push/pop operations tied to a fixed, statically-known size and a function's lexical scope, and the heap, a region allowing arbitrary-size allocation and deallocation independent of scope, accessed indirectly through pointers (variables holding memory addresses) that support dereferencing. Because heap allocations are not automatically tied to a scope, memory must be explicitly reclaimed through one of several strategies—manual deallocation, smart-pointer abstractions, automatic garbage collection, or compile-time ownership tracking—each trading off developer control, safety, and runtime performance. This is a foundational concept in computer science on memory management within programming language design and runtime systems.
Programs organize runtime memory using two complementary allocation models: the stack, a LIFO structure where memory is reserved and released via push/pop operations tied to a fixed, statically-known…