How does a stack data structure function?

A stack data structure operates on the principle of Last In, First Out (LIFO), meaning that the most recently added element is the first one to be removed. This behavior is comparable to a stack of plates; the last plate placed on the top is the first one to be taken off. In programming, stacks are typically used for managing function calls, where a new call is placed on top of the stack, and when a function completes, control returns to the most recent function call that was made.

This structure allows for operations such as push (to add an element) and pop (to remove the top element) to be executed efficiently. Because of its LIFO nature, stacks are particularly useful in scenarios such as backtracking algorithms, expression evaluation, and memory management, where maintaining a history of actions is essential.