When is a variable allocated on the stack, and when on the heap? Any GC difference?

[hollowaykeanho (Holloway)]

@JOhn_Stuart

If a function returns a struct, that struct will be on the stack. If it returns a pointer to a struct, that stucture allocation will be on the heap ?

As far as I understand, the struct allocation is always on heap whenever pointer value is requested, inside or outside function.

Link: Stack vs heap allocation of structs in Go, and how they relate to garbage collection - Stack Overflow (see PeterSO’s disassembly answer first and then the accepted Sonia’s disassembly).

What you’re really interested in is CALL ,runtime.new+0(SB) where the binary is calling the heap allocation.

@JOhn_Stuart

I am feeling confused here, is there a defenitive tutorial a bout where a new variable will be allocated ?

Also, is there any difference regarding garbage collection, between a stack and a heap allocated variable ? How are stack variables (method calls) being garbage collected ? Is there some special case there

Is this Go 101 manual sufficient? Memory Blocks -Go 101

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I’m including go disassembler guide just in case you need it in your exploration: https://www.grant.pizza/dissecting-go-binaries/.