diff --git a/stacks_and_queues/README.md b/stacks_and_queues/README.md index 7a48a58..928b106 100644 --- a/stacks_and_queues/README.md +++ b/stacks_and_queues/README.md @@ -2,13 +2,26 @@
-### queues +### stacks
-* queues can be implemented with two arrays or a dynamic array (linked list). -* if implemented with a dynamic array, a more efficient solution is to use a circular queue (ring buffer), i.e. a fixed-size array and two pointers to indicate the starting and ending positions. -* an advantage of circular queues is that we can use the spaces in front of the queue. in a normal queue, once the queue becomes full, we cannot insert the next element even if there is a space in front of the queue. but using the circular queue, we can use the space to store new values. +* last in, first out structures (LIFO) +* useful in certain recursive algorithms, where you can push temp data as you recurse, and remove them from the (memory or data structure) stack as you backtrace. + + +
+ +---- + +### queues + +
+ +* first in, first out structures (FIFO), i.e., items are removed at the same order they are added. +* queues can be implemented with two arrays or a dynamic array (linked list), as long as items are added and removed from opposite sides. +* if implemented with a dynamic array, a more efficient solution is to use a circular queue (ring buffer), i.e. a fixed-size array and two pointers to indicate the starting and ending positions. an advantage of circular queues is that we can use the spaces in front of the queue. in a normal queue, once the queue becomes full, we cannot insert the next element even if there is a space in front of the queue. but using the circular queue, we can use the space to store new values. +* queues are often used in breath-first search (where you store a list of nodes to be processed) or when implementing a cache.