FIRST-IN FIRST-OUT
\fˈɜːstɪn fˈɜːstˈa͡ʊt], \fˈɜːstɪn fˈɜːstˈaʊt], \f_ˈɜː_s_t_ɪ_n f_ˈɜː_s_t_ˈaʊ_t]\
Sort: Oldest first
-
(FIFO, or "queue") A data structure or hardwarebuffer from which items are taken out in the same order theywere put in. Also known as a "shelf" from the analogy withpushing items onto one end of a shelf so that they fall offthe other. A FIFO is useful for buffering a stream of databetween a sender and receiver which are not synchronised -i.e. not sending and receiving at exactly the same rate.Obviously if the rates differ by too much in one direction fortoo long then the FIFO will become either full (blocking thesender) or empty (blocking the receiver). A Unix pipeis a common example of a FIFO.A FIFO might be (but isn't ever?) called a LILO - last-inlast-out. The opposite of a FIFO is a LIFO (last-infirst-out) or "stack".
By Denis Howe
Word of the day
Quinones
- Hydrocarbon rings which contain two moieties position. They can be substituted in any position except at the ketone groups.