Explain the differences between stack and heap memory allocation

Stack and heap are two types of memory allocations in C++. Stack memory is automatically managed and used for local variables, while heap memory is manually managed and used for dynamic memory allocation.

Stack memory is limited in size but fast because it is managed by the operating system. Variables in the stack are automatically destroyed when the function returns.

Heap memory is larger and more flexible but requires manual memory management through new and delete in C++. If not handled properly, heap memory can lead to memory leaks.

For small, temporary objects, stack memory is preferred due to its speed. For larger objects or those needing longer lifetimes, heap memory is more appropriate.

// Example of stack and heap allocation
#include 
using namespace std;

void stackMemory() {
    int x = 10;  // Stack allocation
    cout << "Stack value: " << x << endl;
}

void heapMemory() {
    int* y = new int(20);  // Heap allocation
    cout << "Heap value: " << *y << endl;
    delete y;  // Free heap memory
}

int main() {
    stackMemory();
    heapMemory();
    return 0;
}