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Master LIFO and FIFO data structures
Section 1 of 8
Master the art of choosing the right data structure. Compare LIFO vs FIFO behavior, analyze performance characteristics, and learn decision-making frameworks for real-world applications.
LIFO vs FIFO behavior patterns
When to choose which structure
Systematic selection criteria
Time & space complexity analysis
The choice between stacks and queues depends on the natural flow of data in your problem. Analyze these real-world scenarios to understand the decision process.
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| Criteria | Stack (LIFO) | Queue (FIFO) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing Order | Reverse order (newest first) | Same order (oldest first) | Depends on problem nature |
| Memory Access | Single end (top only) | Two ends (front & rear) | Stack simpler to implement |
| Recursion Support | Excellent | Not suitable | Stack for recursive problems |
| Fair Processing | Not fair | Very fair | Queue for fair scheduling |
| Undo Operations | Perfect fit | Wrong order | Stack matches user expectations |
| BFS Traversal | Gives DFS instead | Perfect fit | Queue ensures level-order |
| Expression Parsing | Handles precedence | Cannot handle precedence | Stack for operator precedence |
| Buffer Management | Reverses data order | Maintains data order | Queue preserves sequence |
| Operation | Stack | Queue (Array) | Queue (Linked List) | Circular Queue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push/Enqueue | O(1) | O(1) | O(1) | O(1) |
| Pop/Dequeue | O(1) | O(n) | O(1) | O(1) |
| Peek/Front | O(1) | O(1) | O(1) | O(1) |
| Size/Length | O(1) | O(1) | O(1) | O(1) |
| Search | O(n) | O(n) | O(n) | O(n) |