patch space

patch space

An unused block of bits left in a binary so that it can laterbe modified by insertion of machine-language instructionsthere (typically, the patch space is modified to contain newcode, and the superseded code is patched to contain a jump orcall to the patch space). The widening use of HLLs has madethis term rare; it is now primarily historical outside IBMshops. See patch, zap, hook.