Stack is a linear data structure that appears like a list. A stack appears like a sequential collection of constituting elements. Array is also a linear data structure that consists of a collection of various elements that have the same data type. An array’s size is pre-decided. It stores all the values at a location known as the index of values.
Differences between Stack and Array are stated below
| Parameters | Stack | Array |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | Stack data structures are abstract in nature. The data types get arranged in a linear format that looks like a pile. | Array data structures are not abstract. The constituent elements are of the same data type, and they get arranged in a linear format. |
| Accessing of Data | We can only access the currently entered data first. The element that was added in a stack can be accessed only at the last. Thus, it follows the LIFO principle (Last In, First Out). | We can identify the elements via the value index. This way, we can access any element at any given time. The first index of an array is always available at the 0 index. |
| Data Types | The elements of a stack need not be of the same data types. | The constituent elements of an array must always be of the same data types. |
| Range of Data Access | Due to LIFO, we have limited access to the elements in a stack. At any given point, we can only access the currently entered data/element. | The array comes with random access to data. It means that we can perform the read or write operations on any element present at any position via their position indices. Accessing elements is comparatively easier this way. |
| Methods and Operations | We can perform only a limited set of operations on a stack, such as peek, pop, push, etc. | An array is very rich in operations/methods, such as pop, push, reverse, traversing, sorting, and many more. |
| When to Use | A stack is good when we are dealing with a dynamic process where we don’t know the data requirements. | An array is good to go when we are aware of the type of data that needs to be processed and might require a constant change in any element present in the array. |