Stack-based language: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:20, 22 June 2005

Revision as of 00:31, 23 June 2005

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In [[computer science]], a '''stack-based language''' is a [[computer language]] that uses the [[stack (computing)|stack]] to store intermediate results during computation. [[Forth]] and [[Java programming language|Java]]'s [[byte-code]] are examples of stack-based languages.

A stack-based language tends to be used as intermediate representation of a program during its compilation.

Advantages of the stack-based languages over others include:

* An interpreter or compiler for the language tends to be small and simple.

The disadvantages include:

* It may be more tricky to optimize code.

== Example ==

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push 30 // push 30

add // pop two values from the stack, and push its sum

mul // pop two values from the stack, and push its sumproduct

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