Which data structure is typically used for a first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordering?

A queue is the data structure that is typically used for first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordering. This means that the first element added to the queue is the first one to be removed, similar to how customers are served in a line.

Queues are effective for scenarios where order of processing is crucial, such as task scheduling in operating systems, handling requests in web servers, or managing print jobs in a printer queue.

In a queue, elements are added at the back (also known as enqueueing) and removed from the front (dequeueing), ensuring the order of insertion is preserved upon removal. This contrasts with other data structures like stacks, which operate on a last-in, first-out (LIFO) basis, where the most recently added item is the first to be removed.

While arrays and linked lists can be utilized to implement queues, they themselves do not enforce FIFO behavior inherently; it is the way one operates on them that determines the order of processing. Therefore, a dedicated queue data structure is specifically designed to support FIFO operations efficiently.