Understanding the stack frame

A stack frame is the fundamental unit of execution information for a function call. It serves as a structured container that holds everything a function needs to run, from the parameters it receives to the variables it creates internally to the return address that tells the program where to continue once the function completes. All stack-related function data is organised and stored in memory using this structure.

Once the function finishes execution, its stack frame is removed from memory and control returns to the caller, and this continuous cycle of frame allocation and deallocation enables programs to execute nested function calls, return values properly, and maintain an organised and predictable flow of execution. Let's look at the code below and see how it's reflected on a stack frame.