First in, first out

See also: FIFO

The acronym FIFO is the abbreviation of the expression English E First In, first Out , which one can translate by “arrived first, been useful first” (literally “entered first, left first”). This term is often employed in Informatique to describe a method of data processing. This method corresponds to a method of treatment of the elements of a queue (calculations of a computer, Stock S). According to Donald E. Knuth the first to consider this concept as worthy of study were undoubtedly the Cost accountant S.

If the advantage of this policy of scheduling lies in its simplicity, it penalizes the process at short time of execution. Indeed, if a process requiring much of computing time is launched, followed directly by a small task (the user supports on return in its word processing) the small task will have to await the end of the other to be carried out.

This algorithm is also used like political of replacement of the lines of mask because of its simplicity of implementation and its low costs. Nevertheless, it presents an anomaly known under the name of Anomalie of Belady: to increase the number of stages of the pile can have a negative effect on the performance.

This expression also is very much used in Cost accounting, and generally in the management sciences of the Stock s.
It in this case is often translated by PEPS for “Entered First, Left Premier”. In practice the product which arrived the first in stock will be the first to be left stock (to be sold, used or entered). Method PEPS is very much used in particular for the non durable products. But one will be able to prefer the method FEFO to him.

In industry, it also allows an inventory control of small parts (limp of discs for example) optimized compared to time requested to get some.

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