Meaning – The term queue, refers to a list constructed and maintained so that the next data element to be retrieved is the one stored first.
The term also refers to a line or list of items waiting to be processed; for example, work to be performed or messages to be displayed.
When a job is sent to a queue, it is simply added to the list of jobs. Computer programs often work with queues as a way to order tasks.
The operation of adding an element to the rear of the queue is known as en queue, and the operation of removing an element from the front is known as de queue. Other operations may also be allowed, often including a peek or front operation that returns the value of the next element to be dequeued without dequeuing it.
Example of usage – “A printer queue is a list of documents that are waiting to be printed. When you decide to print a document, it is sent to the printer queue. If there are no jobs currently in the queue, the document will be printed immediately.”
