Can you explain what is meant by the term Escape analysis in the context of memory management in programming?

Escape analysis is a process in compilers (for example, in Go) that determines where exactly in memory an object should be stored: on the stack or in the heap.

If an object "does not escape" the function (does not "escape" it), then it can be placed on the stack — this is faster and safer, as memory is automatically freed when exiting the function.

However, if an object "escapes" the function (for example, is returned from it or stored in a global variable), then it must be placed in the heap to live longer than the function call.

Example in Go:

func foo() *int {
    x := 10
    return &x // x "escapes" the function, so it is allocated on the heap
}

Escape analysis helps optimize memory usage and improve program performance.