What type of data structure is characterized by the Last In First Out (LIFO) principle?

The data structure characterized by the Last In First Out (LIFO) principle is a stack. In a stack, the most recently added element is the first one to be removed, which is akin to a stack of plates where you can only take the top plate off. This structure allows for operations like push (to add an element to the top) and pop (to remove the top element) and typically supports these operations in constant time, O(1).

In contrast, a queue operates on a First In First Out (FIFO) basis, meaning that elements are processed in the order they arrive. A linked list is a versatile data structure that can represent various types of collections, but it does not specifically enforce the LIFO behavior. Similarly, a tree structure, while accommodating hierarchical data, does not adhere to LIFO principles either and allows for more complex relationships between nodes.

The distinct property of stacks makes them useful in scenarios such as function call management in programming, where the last function called must be completed before the previous ones can be resumed.