How Computers Work
stack frame
one call's locals + args + return address
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How Code Becomes ExecutionHow Computers WorkMore terms from this board
- ASTthe parsed syntax tree
- buffer overflowwriting past a buffer (overwrites the return address → exploit)
- bytecodeportable mid-level code for a VM
- CALL/RETpush-addr-and-jump / pop-and-jump
- compilersource → machine code ahead of time
- dereference (*)follow it
- GCgarbage collector (auto-frees the heap)
- interpreterruns source line-by-line
- JITcompile hot paths to native at runtime
- linkerjoins code + libraries
- memory leaknever freeing
- pointera variable holding an address
- segfaulttouching memory you don't own
- stack overflowtoo-deep recursion
- use-after-free / dangling pointerusing freed memory