Priority Queue

This chapter explores priority queues, a fascinating data structure designed to manage elements with distinct levels of importance. In this chapter, we’ll focus on harnessing the capabilities of C++’s std::priority_queue from the Standard Template Library (STL).

Think of a priority queue as a line at a theme park, where individuals with priority passes are served before others. Similarly, a priority queue ensures that elements with higher priority are processed ahead of those with lower priority, enabling us to address a wide range of problems that involve ordering and selection.

What this chapter covers:

1. Understanding Priority Queues: Begin by grasping the essence of priority queues, their underlying mechanisms, and the significance of their unique ordering.

2. Leveraging std::priority_queue: Dive into the versatile std::priority_queue container provided by the STL, mastering its usage for managing priorities effectively.

3. Operations and Methods: Explore the operations available in std::priority_queue, including insertion, and extraction while maintaining optimal order.

4. Custom Comparators: Customize the behavior of your priority queue by utilizing custom comparators, tailoring it to handle diverse data types and priority criteria.

5. Problem-Solving with Priority Queues: Learn strategies for tackling problems where prioritization is key, from scheduling tasks to efficient data retrieval.

• Last Stone Weight
• Construct Target Array With Multiple Sums
• Kth Smallest Element in a Sorted Matrix
• Kth Largest Element in a Stream