stack trace

This term is a technical specialization used almost exclusively in software engineering and computer science. It describes the "breadcrumb trail" left by a program's execution, allowing developers to backtrack from a failure point to the original cause. It carries a neutral, diagnostic connotation and is typically encountered in logs, debuggers, or error reports.

Because it refers to a specific data structure (the call stack), the term is used as a compound noun. In professional discourse, it is often paired with verbs like "analyze," "examine," or "inspect" when debugging a crash.