What are the key differences between a stack and a queue in data structures, and in which scenarios would each be most appropriately used?
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A stack and a queue are both linear data structures that manage items in different ways.
1. Stack:
- It follows the LIFO (Last In First Out) principle. This means the last element added to the stack will be the first one to be removed.
- It has only one open end, that is the top. Both insertion and removal of elements are done at the same end.
- Stacks are used in scenarios like function calls/recursive calls, undo operations in text editors, backtracking algorithms, and memory management.
2. Queue:
- It follows the FIFO (First In First Out) principle. This means the first element added to the queue will be the first one to be removed.
- It has two open ends, one for adding elements (rear) and another for removing elements (front).
- Queues are used in scenarios like CPU scheduling, Disk Scheduling, IO Buffers, routers in Network, and other time scheduling scenarios.
Key Differences:
- The main difference is the way elements are removed: in a stack, the most recently added element is removed first (LIFO), while in a queue, the least recently added element is removed first (FIFO).
- In a stack, insertion and removal take place at the same end. In a queue, insertion takes place at the rear and removal occurs at the front.
- Stacks are used when we need to access data in the reverse order of their arrival, while queues are used when we need to maintain the order of arrival.
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