ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Stack (abstract data type)

Imagine you have a pile of toys, but instead of just putting them on top of each other, you can only add or take away toys from the top of the pile. This is similar to a "stack" in computer programming.

A stack is a collection of data that can only be accessed in a specific way. You can add new pieces of information, or "push" them onto the top of the stack, and you can also take away information, or "pop" it off the top of the stack.

Think of it like a stack of pancakes. You can only add another pancake to the top of the pile, and when you want to eat one, you take it off the top. You can't just reach in and take a pancake from the middle of the pile.

This can be useful in programming when you need to keep track of data in a specific order. For example, if you're writing a computer program that needs to keep track of a web browser history, you might use a stack to keep track of each webpage the user visits.

Overall, a stack is an important concept in computer programming and can help programmers organize and manipulate data in a specific way.