What is a Queue?

Queue is a linear data structure in which the insertion and deletion operations are
performed at two different ends. In a queue data structure, adding and removing
elements are performed at two different positions. The insertion is performed at one
end and deletion is performed at another end. In a queue data structure, the
insertion operation is performed at a position which is known as 'rear' and the
deletion operation is performed at a position which is known as 'front'. In queue
data structure, the insertion and deletion operations are performed based on FIFO
(First In First Out) principle.

In a queue data structure, the insertion operation is performed using a function

called "enQueue()" and deletion operation is performed using a function called
"deQueue()".

Queue data structure can be defined as follows...

Queue data structure is a linear data structure in which the operations are
performed based on FIFO principle.

A queue data structure can also be defined as

"Queue data structure is a collection of similar data items in which

insertion and deletion operations are performed based on FIFO principle".

Example
Queue after inserting 25, 30, 51, 60 and 85.

Operations on a Queue
The following operations are performed on a queue data structure...

1. enQueue(value) - (To insert an element into the queue)

2. deQueue() - (To delete an element from the queue)
3. display() - (To display the elements of the queue)
Queue data structure can be implemented in two ways. They are as follows...

1. Using Array
2. Using Linked List

When a queue is implemented using an array, that queue can organize an only
limited number of elements. When a queue is implemented using a linked list, that
queue can organize an unlimited number of elements.

Queue Datastructure Using Array

A queue data structure can be implemented using one dimensional array. The queue

implemented using array stores only fixed number of data values. The

implementation of queue data structure using array is very simple. Just define a one

dimensional array of specific size and insert or delete the values into that array by

using FIFO (First In First Out) principle with the help of variables 'front' and

'rear'. Initially both 'front' and 'rear' are set to -1. Whenever, we want to insert a

new value into the queue, increment 'rear' value by one and then insert at that

position. Whenever we want to delete a value from the queue, then delete the

element which is at 'front' position and increment 'front' value by one.

Queue Operations using Array

Queue data structure using array can be implemented as follows...

Before we implement actual operations, first follow the below steps to create an

empty queue.

 Step 1 - Include all the header files which are used in the program and

define a constant 'SIZE' with specific value.

 Step 2 - Declare all the user defined functions which are used in queue

implementation.

 Step 3 - Create a one dimensional array with above defined SIZE (int

queue[SIZE])
  Step 4 - Define two integer variables 'front' and 'rear' and initialize both

with '-1'. (int front = -1, rear = -1)

 Step 5 - Then implement main method by displaying menu of operations list

and make suitable function calls to perform operation selected by the user on

queue.

enQueue(value) - Inserting value into the queue

In a queue data structure, enQueue() is a function used to insert a new element into

the queue. In a queue, the new element is always inserted at rear position. The

enQueue() function takes one integer value as a parameter and inserts that value

into the queue. We can use the following steps to insert an element into the queue...

 Step 1 - Check whether queue is FULL. (rear == SIZE-1)

 Step 2 - If it is FULL, then display "Queue is FULL!!! Insertion is not

possible!!!" and terminate the function.

 Step 3 - If it is NOT FULL, then increment rear value by one (rear++) and

set queue[rear] = value.

deQueue() - Deleting a value from the Queue

In a queue data structure, deQueue() is a function used to delete an element from

the queue. In a queue, the element is always deleted from front position. The

deQueue() function does not take any value as parameter. We can use the following

steps to delete an element from the queue...

 Step 1 - Check whether queue is EMPTY. (front == rear)

 Step 2 - If it is EMPTY, then display "Queue is EMPTY!!! Deletion is not

possible!!!" and terminate the function.

  Step 3 - If it is NOT EMPTY, then increment the front value by one (front +

+). Then display queue[front] as deleted element. Then check whether

both front and rear are equal (front == rear), if it TRUE, then set

both front and rear to '-1' (front = rear = -1).

display() - Displays the elements of a Queue

We can use the following steps to display the elements of a queue...

 Step 1 - Check whether queue is EMPTY. (front == rear)

 Step 2 - If it is EMPTY, then display "Queue is EMPTY!!!" and terminate

the function.

 Step 3 - If it is NOT EMPTY, then define an integer variable 'i' and set

'i = front+1'.

 Step 4 - Display 'queue[i]' value and increment 'i' value by one (i++).

Repeat the same until 'i' value reaches to rear (i <= rear)