stackdependent

Stackdependent is an informal term used to describe code, modules, or systems whose behavior or safety depends on the state or layout of the call stack at runtime. The concept is discussed mainly in low-level programming, compiler design, and security research, rather than as a formal language feature.

Stack-dependent code may rely on properties such as the position of the stack pointer or frame pointer, the growth direction of the stack, the size and order of stack frames, or specific calling conventions. It can occur when programs access data using fixed offsets relative to a frame pointer, or when optimizations (such as inlining or register allocation) or different architectures produce different stack layouts. Variations in toolchains or runtime environments can therefore alter program behavior.

Consequences include portability problems across compilers and architectures, subtle and hard-to-reproduce bugs, and security concerns. Stack dependence can complicate debugging and reduce the effectiveness of tools that assume a stable stack layout, such as sanitizers and instrumentation that rely on predictable memory layouts.

Examples include code that uses fixed frame offsets to locate local data or that relies on the presence or order of temporaries on the stack to locate information. In practice, stack dependency is typically mitigated by using higher-level abstractions, dynamic memory, or compiler-provided facilities to access data in a manner that does not rely on a particular stack layout.

See also: stack, stack frame, calling convention, frame pointer, stack canary, memory layout, portability.