This page contains general knowledge about the stack and heap and how various data types, ,references and objects are stored in the memory

Stack and Heap in C#

Stack

The stack is a region of memory where data is stored in a last-in, first-out (LIFO) order. In C#, the stack is used for:

• Value types: This includes primitive types like int, float, bool, char, as well as struct types
• Reference variables: The references themselves (not the objects they point to) are stored on the stack
• Method parameters and local variables: These are automatically allocated and deallocated when methods are called and returned from

Key characteristics of stack memory:

• Fast access (more efficient than heap)
• Limited size (can cause stack overflow if too much data is stored)
• Automatic memory management (variables are cleaned up when they go out of scope)
• Thread-specific (each thread gets its own stack)

Heap

The heap is a region of memory used for dynamic memory allocation. In C#, the heap is used for:

• Reference types: Objects created from classes, interfaces, delegates, and arrays
• String data: Although string is a reference type, it has special behavior (see immutability section)
• Boxing: When value types are converted to reference types (e.g., int to object)

Key characteristics of heap memory:

• Slower access than stack
• Much larger size capacity than stack