Stack vs. Array — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 20, 2024
A stack is a last-in, first-out (LIFO) data structure used for operations like reversing and backtracking, while an array is a collection of elements indexed sequentially for random access and storage.
Difference Between Stack and Array
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A stack is a LIFO data structure, meaning the last element added is the first to be removed. It is useful in scenarios like undo mechanisms in software and expression evaluation. An array, however, is a collection of elements stored at contiguous memory locations, allowing direct access to any element using an index.
Stacks operate with two main operations: push (adding an element) and pop (removing an element), making them ideal for tasks where the order of processing is critical. Arrays, in contrast, allow random access to elements, making them suitable for tasks that require frequent reads and writes at specific indices.
In terms of memory, a stack grows and shrinks dynamically, only using as much memory as needed at a time. An array, on the other hand, has a fixed size, determined at the time of creation, which can lead to either wasted space or insufficient storage if not sized correctly.
Stacks do not support random access, meaning you cannot directly access elements in the middle without popping off the top elements first. Arrays provide this capability, allowing any element to be accessed directly through its index, making them faster for lookups.
Comparison Chart
Data Structure
LIFO (Last-In, First-Out)
Indexed collection
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Operations
Push, Pop
Access via index
Memory Usage
Dynamic
Fixed size
Access Type
Sequential
Random
Use Case
Reversing, Backtracking
Random access storage
Compare with Definitions
Stack
Limited access data structure for specific order processing.
Stacks are useful in backtracking problems.
Array
An array is a systematic arrangement of similar objects, usually in rows and columns.
Stack
An orderly pile, especially one arranged in layers
A stack of newspapers.
Array
To set out for display or use; place in an orderly arrangement
Arrayed the whole regiment on the parade ground.
Stack
A large, usually conical pile of straw or fodder arranged for outdoor storage.
Array
To dress, especially in fine clothes; adorn.
Stack
(Computers) A section of memory and its associated registers used for temporary storage of information in which the item most recently stored is the first to be retrieved.
Array
An orderly, often imposing arrangement
An array of royal jewels.
Stack
A group of three rifles supporting each other, butt downward and forming a cone.
Array
An impressively large number, as of persons or objects
An array of heavily armed troops.
An array of spare parts.
Stack
A chimney or flue.
Array
Splendid attire; fine clothing.
Stack
A group of chimneys arranged together.
Array
A rectangular arrangement of quantities in rows and columns, as in a matrix.
Stack
A vertical exhaust pipe, as on a ship or locomotive.
Array
Numerical data linearly ordered by magnitude.
Stack
An extensive arrangement of bookshelves.
Array
An arrangement of usually identical devices, often sensors, that function as a unit
An array of solar panels.
Stack
The area of a library in which most of the books are shelved.
Array
(Computers) A group of memory elements accessed by one or more indices.
Stack
A stackup.
Array
Clothing and ornamentation.
Stack
An English measure of coal or cut wood, equal to 108 cubic feet (3.06 cubic meters).
Array
7, Laws N21|url=http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/129.html|passage=Sovay, Sovay all on a day, She dressed herself in man's array, With a sword and a pistol all by her side, To meet her true love to meet her true love away did ride.}}
Stack
(Informal) A large quantity
A stack of work to do.
Array
A collection laid out to be viewed in full.
Stack
To arrange in a stack; pile.
Array
An orderly series, arrangement or sequence.
Stack
To load or cover with stacks or piles
Stacked the dishwasher.
Array
Order; a regular and imposing arrangement; disposition in regular lines; hence, order of battle.
Drawn up in battle array
Stack
(Games) To prearrange the order of (a deck of cards) so as to increase the chance of winning.
Array
A large collection.
We offer a dazzling array of choices.
Stack
To prearrange or fix unfairly so as to favor a particular outcome
Tried to stack the jury.
Array
(mathematics) Common name for matrix.
Stack
To direct (aircraft) to circle at different altitudes while waiting to land.
Array
(programming) Any of various data structures designed to hold multiple elements of the same type; especially, a data structure that holds these elements in adjacent memory locations so that they may be retrieved using numeric indices.
Stack
To form a stack
Make sure the boxes stack neatly against the wall.
Array
(legal) A ranking or setting forth in order, by the proper officer, of a jury as impanelled in a cause; the panel itself; or the whole body of jurors summoned to attend the court.
Stack
(heading) A pile.
Array
(military) A militia.
Stack
A large pile of hay, grain, straw, or the like, larger at the bottom than the top, sometimes covered with thatch.
Array
A group of hedgehogs.
Stack
A pile of similar objects, each directly on top of the last.
Please bring me a chair from that stack in the corner.
Array
A microarray.
Stack
(UK) A pile of poles or wood, indefinite in quantity.
Array
To clothe and ornament; to adorn or attire.
He was arrayed in his finest robes and jewels.
Stack
A pile of wood containing 108 cubic feet. (~3 m³)
Array
To lay out in an orderly arrangement; to deploy or marshal.
Stack
An extensive collection
Array
(legal) To set in order, as a jury, for the trial of a cause; that is, to call them one at a time.
Stack
A smokestack.
Array
Order; a regular and imposing arrangement; disposition in regular lines; hence, order of battle; as, drawn up in battle array.
Wedged together in the closest array.
Stack
(heading) In computing.
Array
The whole body of persons thus placed in order; an orderly collection; hence, a body of soldiers.
A gallant array of nobles and cavaliers.
Stack
(programming) A linear data structure in which items inserted are removed in reverse order (the last item inserted is the first one to be removed).
History stack
Array
An imposing series of things.
Their long array of sapphire and of gold.
Stack
A stack data structure stored in main memory that is manipulated during machine language procedure call related instructions.
Array
Dress; garments disposed in order upon the person; rich or beautiful apparel.
Stack
An implementation of a protocol suite (set of protocols forming a layered architecture).
A TCP/IP stack is a library or set of libraries or of OS drivers that take care of networking.
Array
A ranking or setting forth in order, by the proper officer, of a jury as impaneled in a cause.
Stack
A combination of interdependent, yet individually replaceable, software components or technologies used together on a system.
Array
To place or dispose in order, as troops for battle; to marshal.
By torch and trumpet fast arrayed,Each horseman drew his battle blade.
These doubts will be arrayed before their minds.
Stack
(math) A generalization of schemes in algebraic geometry and of sheaves.
Array
To deck or dress; to adorn with dress; to cloth to envelop; - applied esp. to dress of a splendid kind.
Pharaoh . . . arrayed him in vestures of fine linen.
In gelid caves with horrid gloom arrayed.
Stack
(geology) A coastal landform, consisting of a large vertical column of rock in the sea.
Array
To set in order, as a jury, for the trial of a cause; that is, to call them man by man.
Stack
(library) Compactly spaced bookshelves used to house large collections of books.
Array
An orderly arrangement;
An array of troops in battle order
Stack
(figuratively) A large amount of an object.
They paid him a stack of money to keep quiet.
Array
An impressive display;
It was a bewildering array of books
His tools were in an orderly array on the basement wall
Stack
(military) A pile of rifles or muskets in a cone shape.
Array
Especially fine or decorative clothing
Stack
(poker) The amount of money a player has on the table.
Array
An arrangement of aerials spaced to give desired directional characteristics
Stack
(heading) In architecture.
Array
Lay out in a line
Stack
A number of flues embodied in one structure, rising above the roof.
Array
Align oneself with a group or a way of thinking
Stack
A vertical drainpipe.
Array
A collection of elements stored in contiguous memory locations.
Access an array element using its index.
Stack
A fall or crash, a prang.
Array
Fixed-size data structure for indexed storage.
Arrays store elements of the same type.
Stack
(bodybuilding) A blend of various dietary supplements or anabolic steroids with supposed synergistic benefits.
Array
Supports random access to elements.
Retrieve an array element quickly with its index.
Stack
(aviation) A holding pattern, with aircraft circling one above the other as they wait to land.
Array
Suitable for static storage requirements.
Use an array for storing daily temperatures.
Stack
(video games) The quantity of a given item which fills up an inventory slot or bag.
I've got 107 Golden Branches, but the stack size is 20 so they're taking up 6 spaces in my inventory.
Array
Efficient for read and write operations.
Arrays are efficient for frequent data access.
Stack
(transitive) To arrange in a stack, or to add to an existing stack.
Please stack those chairs in the corner.
Stack
To arrange the cards in a deck in a particular manner.
This is the third hand in a row where you've drawn four of a kind. Someone is stacking the deck!
Stack
To take all the money another player currently has on the table.
I won Jill's last $100 this hand; I stacked her!
Stack
(transitive) To deliberately distort the composition of (an assembly, committee, etc.).
The Government was accused of stacking the parliamentary committee.
Stack
To crash; to fall.
Jim couldn′t make it today as he stacked his car on the weekend.
Stack
(gaming) To operate cumulatively.
A magical widget will double your mojo. And yes, they do stack: if you manage to get two magical widgets, your mojo will be quadrupled. With three, it will be octupled, and so forth.
Stack
To place (aircraft) into a holding pattern.
Stack
To collect precious metal in the form of various small objects such as coins and bars.
Stack
(printing) To have excessive ink transfer.
Stack
A large and to some degree orderly pile of hay, grain, straw, or the like, usually of a nearly conical form, but sometimes rectangular or oblong, contracted at the top to a point or ridge, and sometimes covered with thatch.
But corn was housed, and beans were in the stack.
Stack
An orderly pile of any type of object, indefinite in quantity; - used especially of piles of wood. A stack is usually more orderly than a pile
Against every pillar was a stack of billets above a man's height.
Stack
A pile of wood containing 108 cubic feet.
Stack
A large quantity; as, a stack of cash.
Stack
A number of flues embodied in one structure, rising above the roof.
Stack
A section of memory in a computer used for temporary storage of data, in which the last datum stored is the first retrieved.
Stack
The section of a library containing shelves which hold books less frequently requested.
Stack
To lay in a conical or other pile; to make into a large pile; as, to stack hay, cornstalks, or grain; to stack or place wood.
Stack
To place in a vertical arrangement so that each item in a pile is resting on top of another item in the pile, except for the bottom item; as, to stack the papers neatly on the desk; to stack the bricks.
Stack
To select or arrange dishonestly so as to achieve an unfair advantage; as, to stack a deck of cards; to stack a jury with persons prejudiced against the defendant.
Stack
An orderly pile
Stack
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent;
A batch of letters
A deal of trouble
A lot of money
He made a mint on the stock market
It must have cost plenty
Stack
A list in which the next item to be removed is the item most recently stored (LIFO)
Stack
A large tall chimney through which combustion gases and smoke can be evacuated
Stack
A storage device that handles data so that the next item to be retrieved is the item most recently stored (LIFO)
Stack
Load or cover with stacks;
Stack a truck with boxes
Stack
Arrange in stacks;
Heap firewood around the fireplace
Stack your books up on the shelves
Stack
Arrange the order of so as to increase one's winning chances;
Stack the deck of cards
Stack
A data structure with LIFO access.
The stack helps manage function calls in programming.
Stack
A collection where the last element added is the first removed.
Use a stack to reverse a string.
Stack
Used in depth-first search algorithms.
The stack is essential in depth-first search.
Stack
Dynamic and grows as needed.
A stack grows as elements are added.
Common Curiosities
What is a common use case for stacks?
Stacks are commonly used in algorithms that involve reversing or backtracking.
Which data structure is more memory efficient?
A stack is more memory-efficient as it dynamically adjusts its size, unlike an array which has a fixed size.
Can a stack be implemented using an array?
Yes, a stack can be implemented using an array by restricting access to one end.
What is the main difference between a stack and an array?
A stack is a LIFO structure used for ordered processing, while an array is an indexed collection allowing random access.
Do arrays have fixed size?
Yes, the size of an array is determined at creation and cannot be changed.
Is it possible to access the middle element directly in a stack?
No, you must pop elements off the stack sequentially to reach the middle.
Which is faster for random access, stack or array?
Arrays are faster for random access as they allow direct indexing.
Is resizing an array possible after creation?
No, standard arrays cannot be resized after creation.
Are stacks limited to specific operations?
Yes, stacks primarily use push and pop operations.
What type of access does a stack provide?
A stack provides sequential access only.
Can you add elements to any position in an array?
Yes, you can insert elements at any index in an array if the size permits.
What happens if you push too many elements onto a stack?
It may cause a stack overflow if it exceeds the memory limit.
Can arrays store elements of different types?
No, arrays typically store elements of the same type.
Are stacks suitable for frequent read and write operations?
No, stacks are not as efficient for frequent read and write operations compared to arrays.
What is an example of an array use case?
Arrays are used for storing a collection of similar data items, like a list of numbers.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
