Implementing a Queue
Explore how to implement queues in C# using both array-based and linked list-based approaches. Understand key concepts like managing front and rear positions, dynamic versus fixed capacity, and memory trade-offs. This lesson prepares you to choose the right queue structure for different programming scenarios.
Now that we understand what a queue is, the next step is to examine how it is implemented. A queue is an abstract data structure. It defines a set of behaviors, but it does not dictate how the data must be stored or managed in memory. Just like a stack, a queue can be built on top of different underlying structures, using both an array and a linked list.
Using an array
In an array-based implementation, we use a C# array, or a dynamic array such as List<T>, to store queue elements. With a regular array, the elements are stored in a contiguous block of memory. The queue elements are placed in the array, and the array indices represent the front and rear of the queue. A size counter tracks the number of elements currently in the queue.
If the array has a fixed size, then the queue has a maximum capacity. If a dynamic array such as List<T> is used, the structure can grow, although some queue designs still manage front and rear positions explicitly.
Here’s what an array-based queue looks like:
As elements are dequeued from the front, the ...