The Stack: A Visual Exploration
A stack is an Abstract Data Type (ADT) that allows you to add or remove objects in a specific, last-in-first-out (LIFO) order. It's like a stack of books; you can only remove the one on top, and new books get added to the top.
A Pictorial Representation of an Empty Stack
Imagine a stack as an empty, vertical container awaiting items to be filled in. Let's visualize this using a bit of flair:
In this diagram:
- The box represents the stack. It's empty now, but it's all set to accept items.
Each horizontal line within the box is a "slot" where an item can go.
Notice how all the slots are empty? That's because we've just initialized the stack and haven't added anything to it yet.