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Overlay (programming)
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<p>In a general computing sense, overlaying means "the process of transferring a <a href="/facts/Block_(data_storage)/S3vT7c6N">block</a> of program code or other data into <a href="/facts/Main_memory/wPHKFpdx">main memory</a>, replacing what is already stored". Overlaying is a <a href="/facts/Computer_programming/QmSsFnu0">programming</a> method that allows programs to be larger than the computer's <a href="/facts/Main_memory/wPHKFpdx">main memory</a>. An <a href="/facts/Embedded_system/a4muX1wU">embedded system</a> would normally use overlays because of the limitation of <a href="/facts/Physical_memory/wPHKFpdx">physical memory</a>, which is <a href="/facts/Internal_memory/wPHKFpdx">internal memory</a> for a <a href="/facts/System-on-chip/1RVvVe6N">system-on-chip</a>, and the lack of <a href="/facts/Virtual_memory/Lw2GemF5">virtual memory</a> facilities. </p>