stackbased

Stackbased, often written as stack-based, refers to computing approaches that manipulate data primarily via a stack, rather than a large set of registers. In stack-based systems, values are pushed onto and popped from a last-in, first-out stack, and most operations consume their operands from the top of the stack. Many stack-based languages also expose postfix notation, where operators come after their operands.

This model is common in stack machines and virtual machines, where a compact instruction set encodes stack operations rather than explicit registers. Programs are often portable across architectures because the stack machine interface hides underlying hardware details. Control flow is implemented through jumps and subroutine calls that manipulate the stack to pass parameters and return values.

Prominent examples include Forth, a language and environment designed around an extensible dictionary of words; PostScript, used for page description and printers; and modern descendants such as Factor. The Java Virtual Machine and the .NET Common Language Runtime are also stack-based, using a virtual evaluation stack to perform arithmetic, method calls, and exception handling.

Advantages of stack-based systems include compact virtual machines, easy code generation from postfix representations, and straightforward interoperation with low-level memory models. Drawbacks can include less efficient use of modern CPUs, more complex optimization, and stack overflow risks in constrained environments.

Stack-based approaches remain relevant in embedded devices, printers, language runtimes, and research on language design. They emphasize simplicity of the execution model and portability, while often requiring careful management of stack depth and memory.