Queue

<programming> A {first-in first-out} data structure used to sequence multiple demands for a resource such as a {printer}, {processor} or communications channel. Objects are added to the tail of the queue and taken off the head.

A typical use of queues in an {operating system} involves a user command which places something on a queue, e.g. a file on a printer queue or a job on a job queue, and a {background} process or "{demon}" which takes things off and processes them
(e.g. prints or executes them). Another common use is to pass data between an {interrupt handler} and a user process.
 

Related terms: printer queues, process management