Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A procedure call, also known as invoking or calling a procedure, refers to executing/calling/instantiating a specific set of instructions (procedure) at runtime. It transfers control to the called procedure and may involve passing arguments.
Related terms
Function Call: Similar to a procedure call, but specifically refers to invoking/calling functions which return values after execution.
Method Invocation: This term typically applies in object-oriented programming and refers to calling/executing methods belonging to objects/classes.
Subroutine Call: Another way of referring to calling/instantiating a procedure. It is commonly used in older programming languages.