What is the difference between a stack and a queue, and when would you use one over the other?

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Krishnapriya Rajeev · Answer

A stack and a queue are two different data structures that are used to store and manage a collection of elements.
A stack is a last-in, first-out (LIFO) data structure, which means that the last element added to the stack is the first one to be removed. A stack typically supports two main operations:
push, which adds an element to the top of the stack, and pop, which removes the element from the top of the stack.
They are used:
when the order in which elements are added or removed is important. For example, if you need to process a list of nested functions or expressions, a stack can be used to keep track of the order in which they should be evaluated.for backtracking algorithms, where you need to undo a series of operations in reverse order.
A queue is a first-in, first-out (FIFO) data structure, which means that the first element added to the queue is the first one to be removed. A queue typically supports two main operations:
enqueue, which adds an element to the end of the queue, and dequeue, which removes the element from the front of the queue.
They are used:
when you need to process elements in the order in which they were added. For example, if you are implementing a print queue, where print jobs are added to the queue in the order they are received and processed in the same order.in breadth-first search algorithms, where you need to visit all the nodes in a graph level by level.

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What is the difference between a stack and a queue, and when would you use one over the other?

Revati S Misra

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