Homonym: stacks (Piles)
A stack is a data structure that follows the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle, meaning the last item added is the first one to be removed. Think of it like a stack of plates; you can only take the top plate off or add a new one on top. Stacks are commonly used in programming for tasks like managing function calls and keeping track of operations.
In computer science, stacks can be implemented using arrays or linked lists. They support two main operations: push, which adds an item to the top, and pop, which removes the item from the top. Stacks are essential for algorithms and are widely used in various applications, including compilers and undo mechanisms in software.