Heap and Stack

Question

Hi What is the difference between Heap and Stack?

Vulpes · Answer

The default stack size in a .NET application is 1 MB and each thread has its own stack. Threads therefore have a significant memory overhead which is one reason why it's often better to use the threadpool (which can recycle threads) rather than create your own. The BackgroundWorker class which enables a long running task to execute in the background without locking up the user interface uses the threadpool automatically.

Sam Hobbs · Answer

There are registers in the processor that determine where the stack is at and how large it is. The registers are actual physical circuitry in the processor. The amount (size) of stack memory is limited since it must exist as a single contiguous block.

Prabhu Raja · Answer

Check these Articles : C# Heap(ing) Vs Stack(ing) in .NET: Part I II III and IV http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/rmcochran/csharp_memory01122006130034PM/csharp_memory.aspx http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/rmcochran/csharp_memory2B01142006125918PM/csharp_memory2B.aspx http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/rmcochran/chsarp_memory401152006094206AM/chsarp_memory4.aspx http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/rmcochran/csharp_memory_401282006141834PM/csharp_memory_4.aspx

Vineet Kumar Saini · Answer

Hi Aaron Cronje The difference betweeb Heap and Stack are as follows when you use new or malloc() the memory is normally allocated from the heap. When you allocate an object within a function it goes on the stack. Heap memory stores all instances or attributes constructors and methods of a class/object. Stack memory is referred as temporary memory. Heap memory is referred as permanent memory. The heap (also known as the free store) is a large pool of memory used for dynamic allocation. Stack is used for local variables. Heap is used for dynamic memory allocation. Stack is maily used for value types[ Ex : value datatypes in C# ].

Datta Kharad · Answer

Hi Heap and Stack:- Procedural programming languages that let you to create variables dynamically at run-time use two different areas of Ram for holding variables;. the stack and the heap. The heap is basically all unallocated memory. This is for each application but because of the way a CPU virtualizes memory each application runs in its own space and sees itself as having access to all available ram. The stack holds value type variables plus return addresses for functions. All numeric types ints floats and doubles along with enums chars bools and structs are value types. The heap hold variables created dynamically- known as reference variables and mainly instances of classes or strings. These variables are stored in two places; there's a hidden pointer to the place in the heap where the data is stored. Another distinction between value and reference type is that a value type is derived from System.Value Type while a reference type is derived from System.Object . When you call the New operator on a class it will be allocated on the heap. However when you instantiate a struct it gets created on the stack. This will yield performance gains. Also you will not be dealing with references to an instance of a struct as you would with classes. You will be working directly with the struct instance. Because of this when passing a struct to a method it's passed by value instead of as a reference.

Satyapriya Nayak · Answer

Hi Aaron Stack Stack memory stores variable types in address' in memory these variables in programming are called local variables and are often stored for short amounts of time while a function/method block uses them to compute a task. Once a function/method has completed its cycle the reference to the variable in the stack is removed. Heap Heap memory stores all instances or attributes constructors and methods of a class/object. Comparison A Heap reference is also stored in Stack memory until the life cycle of the object has completed. Inside the Heap reference all the the contents of the object are stored whereas with a local variable only the variable contents are stored in the stack. Refer the below link also http://www.programmerinterview.com/index.php/data-structures/difference-between-stack-and-heap/ Thanks