Palisades and stockades are a fence or wall created by sharpened sticks. A wall itself is referred to as a palisade while the enclosure it forms it is referred to as a stockade. Stockades may be found around forts or around portions of castles as a temporary defense (either because a permanent wall has yet to be constructed or as additional fortifications for an expected siege). Palisades and stockades may be adjacent to a moat. They may contain a gate or gatehouse and connect to watchtowers. There may be sapping tunnels underneath.

Modern day palisades are constructed of iron or steel and are often a part of security fences.