What is the difference between stack and queue in data representation?

A stack follows a Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) principle, while a queue follows a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle in data representation.

In more detail, a stack is a linear data structure where elements are added and removed from the same end, known as the 'top'. This means that the last element that was added to the stack will be the first one to be removed, hence the term Last-In-First-Out (LIFO). This is similar to a stack of plates, where you can only add or remove a plate from the top of the stack. In computer science, stacks are used in various applications such as in memory management, expression evaluation and syntax parsing.

On the other hand, a queue is another type of linear data structure, but it operates differently. In a queue, elements are added at one end, known as the 'rear', and removed from the other end, known as the 'front'. This means that the first element that was added to the queue will be the first one to be removed, hence the term First-In-First-Out (FIFO). This is similar to a queue of people waiting in line, where the person who has been waiting the longest (at the front of the queue) will be served first. Queues are used in computer science in various applications such as in scheduling processes in operating systems, handling requests in a web server, and in breadth-first search algorithms.

In summary, the main difference between a stack and a queue lies in the order in which elements are added and removed. In a stack, the last element added is the first one to be removed (LIFO), while in a queue, the first element added is the first one to be removed (FIFO). Understanding these principles is crucial in computer science as they form the basis of many algorithms and data structures.