alloca(3)                                                     alloca(3)

  alloca()

  NAME

    alloca() - memory allocator

  SYNOPSIS

    #include 

    void * alloca (size_t *size)

  DESCRIPTION

    The alloca(3) function allocates size bytes of space in the stack frame of
    the caller. This temporary space is automatically freed on return.

    If the allocation request is too large or the stack is too deep, the
    application may terminate with a signal 7, indicating that the available
    stack spaces has been consumed.

  RETURN VALUES

    If the alloca(3) call is successful it returns a pointer to the beginning
    of the allocated space. If the allocation failed, a NULL pointer is
    returned.

  ERRORS

    The alloca(3) function will fail if:

    [ENOMEM]
        Insufficient storage space is available.

  SEE ALSO

    calloc(3)

    malloc(3)

    realloc(3)

  USAGE NOTES

    The alloca function is not thread safe.

    The alloca function is not async-signal safe.