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What does "queue" mean in programming?

queue is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

A data structure or service that holds tasks or messages in order until they can be processed. Queues decouple producers from consumers and allow work to be distributed across workers.

Example

"Send the email via a queue so the API response is not delayed while the email is being sent."

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