Memory Layout

Question 1

What is the stack?

Answer 1

Used to collect items or elements with fixed origin and variable size
Initially, the size of the stack is zero and the stack pointer (%esp) points to the top of the stack
Items are added in last in first out order (higher to lower memory addresses)

Question 2

What happens when a function is called?

Answer 2

Frame containing
- functions actual parameters
- return address to jump to at end of function
- pointer to previous frame
- functions local variables
is pushed onto the stack

Question 3

What does function prologue consist of?

Answer 3

push %ebp
mov %esp, %ebp
sub $n, %esp

Question 4

What does function epilogue include?

Answer 4

leave
mov %ebp, %esp
pop %ebp
ret
places value at top of stack (pointed to by %esp) in instruction pointer %eip