Pop - Page 29

In computer science, "pop" refers to an operation used in data structures, particularly stacks and queues. Specifically, it denotes the removal of an element from the top of a stack or the front of a queue, along with returning that element to the caller.In the context of a stack, which follows the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle, the "pop" operation removes the most recently added item. When pop is called, the top element of the stack is taken off, and the stack decreases in size. If implemented in programming, this operation typically involves adjusting a pointer or index that tracks the top of the stack.In queues, which follow the First In, First Out (FIFO) principle, the concept of pop can be less commonly referred to; instead, the operation may be known as "dequeue." However, in some contexts, especially in programming libraries, pop can still be used to describe removing the front element from a queue.Overall, the pop operation is fundamental in managing data flow within these data structures, allowing for efficient retrieval and removal of elements.